SAMOA'S FUTURE.

Auckland Star, Issue 154, 2 July 1934, Page 6

SAMOA'S FUTURE.

OUR DIFFICULT TASK. A NEW ZEALANDER'S SURVEY. (By E.V.1).) It was with the best of intentions that Xew Zealand in 1919 accepted the Mandate of' Western Samoa. If the expenditure of money and effort could have achieved her aim, New Zealand must by now have been recognised as a model Mandatory Power, for in money alone the taxpayers of the Dominion have laid out in Samoa considerably more than £220,000 in subsidies and more than £1 Go,ooo in loans. But it is notorious that the results —however "results" in government are measured —are miserably below expectations. And few people know why. It is because of his belief that "the greatest requirement for such a place as Samoa is an intelligent understanding of, and respect for, the problems involved" that Mr. Felix M. Keesing, an Auckland graduate, a member of the research stall' of the Institute of Pacific Relations, has written an admirably comprehensive survey of Samoa (both Eastern and Western) and* its people.* The result is an exceedingly valuable work, which should not only be of service to Mr. Keesing's fellow New Zealanders, but fthould do much to convince responsible people! abroad that this Dominion is not only well-meaning, but is capable of appreciating the magnitude and varied nature of the task to which she has set her hand.

Many Issues. The Samoan problem is not only, or even mainly, a political problem. There arc, Mr. Keesing makes it clear, "equally fundamental racial, economic, social and educational issues, so far hardly touched upon by the authorities," and undreamt of by most New Zealanders. Many people wonder why there is tranquillity and good government in Tonga and perpetual unrest in Samoa. Such a comparison, Mr. Keesing says, is a careless one, for the Tongans "had a different social organisation, especially a unified national system of government, which fitted comparatively easily into modern conditions." Again, it'is caid that New Zealand's troubles in Samoa are due to inexperience. Mr. Keesing, while allowing some validity to this contention, is convinced that the unrest is psychological, the product of old, deepseated causes, find that it would exist under any Administration, although possibly in a less aggravated form. Samoan administration has never been easy. It was not easy to the Germans, one of whose officials described it as "unutterably difficult," and it has not boon found easy by the Americans, despite the expenditure of a very large sum of money, and intentions fully equal to New Zealand's. There is also the familiar argument, strongly supported by the Government, that the trouble has been due largely to Mr. O. F. Nelson, the leader of the Man. Yet it should be remembered that there was serious friction between the Administration and the non-native population almost from the start. "At least a situation of considerable strain had been reached," Mr. Keesing says, "and it is hardly conceivable,,Samoan life being what it is, that some form of active opposition would not have developed." The influence of Mr. Nelson, it cannot be denied, made the opposition more formidable, but there was similar opposition (o the benevolent Navy Government at Pago Pa so, where there was no Nelson. It should be pointed out that, whatever Mr. Nelson's motives have been, the degree and extent of his influence are attributable in no small part to his admittedly profound knowledge of the Samoan people. * By comparison, the knowledge of the Administration, whose personnel is changed far too frequently, necessarily appears inadequate.

• Excess of Good Intentions. Mr. Keesing deals with the history of the Samoans since the white man arrived, with the modern problem of native government, the system of justice, land ownership, the economic life in genera], contract labour, health, religion and education, and there is in every chapter information and fairly-balanced argument. His work is the more valuable because .lie is not dogmatic. He, no more than anybody else, can be sure of the path which this native people will follow, still less of the path which they ought to follow, but lie does apply the lessons of experience and point the direction. The present situation, lie concludes, has been brought iiboUjt really because of New Zealand's excess of good intention. "The main fault

. . . forms to have been that the changes were initiated too fast and without sufficient safeguards. Overmuch was expected of l the native institutions and of individuals; in short, the sudden throwing together of Western ideals and forms with Samoan political-ceremonial-social ideals and forms succeeded in producing a clash, but not an effective fusion." The present situation is described as "a somewhat 'resentful and watchful stalemate. . . . The fundamental points of conflict (hat have their roofs in the history and nature of Samoa remain largely unsettled and unsolved. In some sudden crisis or with the passing of years they are likely to emerge again." What could be done to bring about a real harmony? Mr. Keesing thinks that if New Zealand aiul the Administration studied the Mau movement, not as the cause, but the symptom of trouble, and if it ceased to rely chiefly on "legal-military" means of assuring its dominance, "the opportunity might arise for a transformation of the Mau into a cooperative rather than a 'seditious' movement, or at least for its dynamic spirit to be utilised constructively." The sight of a wellmeaning Government attempting to force the white civilisation's gifts upon a native people, and being politely repulsed by non-co-opcra-tion, is almost as ridiculous as it is distressing. At least it points to the need for a thorough study of causes, and for such a study this book is an excellent preparation. * "Modern Samoa : Its Government ancl Changing Liife," by Felix M. Keesing, M.A., D.Litt. (Allen and Unwfn.j