NO POVERTY IN SAMOA

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21255, 29 August 1934, Page 12

NO POVERTY IN SAMOA

NATIVES GROWING THEIR OWN FOOD LITTLE DEMAND FOR EUROPEAN GOODS [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.j WELLINGTON, August 28. "The social system of the Samoan people Is such that poverty cannot exist," states the annual report on the mandated territory of Western Samoa, tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. The report adds that the Samoans were not affected by the economic depression to the same extent as European communities, although the unprecedented low prices for their main product, copra, had resulted in their relying more on locally grown foodstuffs than formerly. AH the families (or "clans"; wen: well endowed with land, and as tho soil, was very fertile they had little difficulty in growing all the food supplies required, their wants in the way of clothing were few, and although the lavalava or loin-cloth was now of European material, it was for all general purposes the only clothing worn by adult men and children in ordinary village life, an additional upper garment usually being worn by the women. The Samoans were conservative in the matter of housing, in that they had shown no tendency to adopt European ideas of design and construction, as has been done by other peoples of the Pacific having the same commerical contacts. This was due. no doubt, to the fact, that the Samoan native houses were of particularly good design, being large, well ventilated, and coo!. The economic aspect had played a part in postponing the change, as all the materials for a Samoan dwelling were grown by the peonle on their own land. The native people were well and suitably housed, and it v. as in their interests that there should be no change. The report states that lack of ready cash had seen the demand for European goods, such as tinned meats, tea, sugar, rice, kerosene, soap, etc., dwindle until it had almost disappeared in most districts, and it was hardly to be expected that there would be a revival for a considerable time. The production of food supplies was well attended to, and the cultivation and planting of new areas for future supplies was kept up to date. The people generally showed no particular keenness in seeking employment outside their own style of living, although during the last two years there was more evidence of a desire to add to their incomes in this manner. The engagement by Samoans in regular employment for wages was quite extraneous to the style of living of the bulk of the native population, and as economic conditions left the people completely free of the need for such employment there was no modification of the conditions. Plantation work, when it was availed of. was usually arranged by contract. The work wa< not over arduous, and the total number of Samoans so employed at any one time would probably not exceed 400. These conditions applied to reparation estates, equally with other plantations: but there was no economic compulsion on native Samoans to accept them.

DEPORTATION OF O. F. NELSQN * POLITICAL SITI/ATION IN TERRITORY [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! • WELLINGTON, August 28. "Throughout the year the administration functioned normally and smoothly, though this would not have continued if action against O. F. Nelson had not been taken," states the annual report on the mandated territory of Western Samoa, presented to the House of Representatives this afternoon. The report states that the political situation at the beginning of last year was perfectly quiet. Since May, 1932, there had not been any court proceedings or convictions for offences arising from political agitation. O. F. Nelson, who, pursuant to an order made in December, 1927, was deported for a term of five years, returned in May, 1933. Immediately thereafter political agitation revived. It grew in strength until early in November, when two parties of Samoans undertook a tour of the territory to appoint Mau officials, collect Mau taxes, and, in fact, to set up a new form of Government. Acting under a warrant issued by the court, countinues the report, a search was carried out at the residence of Nelson. A large quantity of incriminating documents was found there, including a "budget" for the Mau. and a document styled "first proclamation of the Mau," the latter providing for a constitution, appointment of officials and their duties, and instructions for the two parties then setting out to put these plans into operation. Fourteen members of the two parties were arrested, tried, found guilty, and sentenced to terms of imprisonment varying from three weeks to one year. Nelson was also arrested, and after a trial lasting 32 days, was found guilty and sentenced to eight months' imprisonment and 10 years' exile. On March 8 he was sent to New Zealand to serve his sentence, and there was no further trouble., A footnote to the report states that the High Court's decision in Nelson's case was sustained by the Full Court in New Zealand; but the sentence was reduced to three weeks' imprisonment and 10>years' exile. FINANCIAL POSITION SMALL SLKPLIS ON YEAR'S OPERATIONS fFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August 28. The financial position of the mandated territory of Western Samoa, according to the annual report of the Administration, tabled in the House of Representatives to-day, indicates that a small surplus resulted from the operations for the year

1933-34. Receipts exceeded expenditure by £658, to which may be added an amount of £8795 brought forward from the previous year, giving an accumulated surplus of £9453 as at March 31, 1934. The intention was expressed in last year's report of investing a.sum of money annually for the replacement of assets, and this was given effect to during the year under review, a sum of £4OOO being set aside for the purpose. This amount is included in the expenditure for the year, and the surplus is arrived at after provision for replacements.