ADMINISTRATION OF SAMOA.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17247, 10 September 1921, Page 9

ADMINISTRATION OF SAMOA.

CHINESE LABOUR QUESTION. (By C«We—Press Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cabl« Association.) SYDNEY, September 9. The "Sydney Morning HeraldV' special commissioner, in his concluding article on Samoa, says:—"Bamoa'B troubles are mostly due to econottio factors, for 'which the Government is ip no way blameable. The scarcity and cost of labour, combined with the low prices of tropical products, make it problematical whether any plantation schemes <xrald < bo worked lit a •profit." \ I The writer discusses the Chinese lip bour question and the New Zealand 'policy in connexion, therewith, and says instead of encouraging their repatriation, recently, owing to the acute lA- , hour shortage, the Chinese have been solicited to stay, and the Government haß made arrangements to import 1000 new Chinese from Hong Kong. , The writer adds:—"Sffl-iOUS injury , will be done to the agricultural interests in Samoa if Chinese labourers are not available, because it is difficult to replace them." . Referring to Crown* lands, he gays:—"The Administration took over thousands of acres of cultivated and uncultivated lands which belonged to deported Germans, believing they would produce- large' profits and thereby reduce the cost of administration to a minimum. Ms proved a delusion.' All the Crown estates are likely to show losses. There have been too many white offlelala employed, and , consequently, too' high a salary list to. ( permit of & profit, wen If the mar- | kets become normal again. Probably j the most sensible course would he to J lease these estates."