IN SAMOA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 114, 15 May 1936, Page 15

IN SAMOA.

| NEWS ITEMS BY MAIL. I WET WEATHER AMD SICKNESS. HIGH COURT CALENDAR. (From Our Own Correspondent.) APIA, May 1. For several weeks past we have had very unfavourable weather, cold, rainy and windy with only intermittent spells of sunshine. Sickness among Europeans and natives has compelled the closing of schools for lengthy periods. A party of Samoan missionaries, who returned to Samoa from Papua, via Sydney, by the Union steamer Cape York 011 April 14, were allowed to pass the medical examination on their arrival at Apia. Later, however, several cases of sickness were found among the arrivals and a few days later the whole party and al«o those local residents with whom they had no me into contact, altogether about 40 people, were removed to the Apia quarantine station, where they have been kept under observation for the last fortnight. Apia High Court. There are several important eases pending in the High Court at Apia, among tlicm being tlie inquiry into the wreck of the motor launch Tiafau and a charge of manslaughter against a bus driver. These and other cases will be heard before Mr. R. M. Watson, S.M., who has just arrived by the Maui Pomare, having been appointed Chief Judge (011 circuit) in place of Mr. J. H. Luxford. Mr. Watson is well known to the old residents of Samoa, where he arrived in 1!)14 as a member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He later returned to Samoa from the front and was appointed judge after the death of the late Judge C. Roberts. Judge Watson has also done some literary work and published a history of Western Samoa.

Anzac Day Service. This year's Anzac Day service was organised by the Ex-servicemen's Association of Samoa on Saturday, April 25, at the Apia clock tower. The clergy of various denomination* officiated and the returned soldiers paraded at the memorial tablet, where a number of wreaths were deposited. The actingAdrr.inistrator, Mr. A. C. Turnbull, with Mrs. Turnbull, and many prominent residents, attended the service, which was favoured by exceptionally bright weather.' Visit of the TT.S.S. Lark. The American station ship from Pago Pago, American Samoa, is expected to arrive in Western Samoan waters on May 7. She is to call at Salelologa, on the island of Savaii, for a cargo of Samoan foodstuffs, which the Savaii natives are donating to their friends and relations of Tutuila, American Samoa, who are still suffering from a serious shortage of foodstuffs as a result of the devastating blow which struck Tutuila on January 10. Maui Pomare Arrives. The Maui Pomare arrived on April 29 at dawn ai:l landed the usual cargo of shucks and general merchandise, also CO tons of copra from Nine for transhipment. The steamer is lifting about 7000 cases of bananas cf first class quality. Owing to the rains there is now a be*t.>r offering o* fruit and by next month the shortage resulting from the January blow will be over.