GOVERNANCE OF SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 170, 6 April 1923, Page 11

GOVERNANCE OF SAMOA

REPLY TO A CRITJC Colonel R. W Tate, who has just returned from Samoa on the expiration of his term as Administrator of the mandated territory, was yesterday asked for an opinion upon the statements made by Mr. F. -Nelson, chairman of the Samoa Citizens’ League, in an interview which The Dominion on Wednesday reprinted from the “Sydney Morning Herald.” Colonel Tate’s first observation was that it seemed rather remarkable that the chairman of the Citizens’ Committee had not made the statements in question while passing through Auckland, instead of voicing 'them in a country which could have little interest in the government of Samoa. “Proposals for an elective Legislative Council,” said Colonel Tate, “were considered by a committee (of which the gentleman whose statements are under was a member) set iron the invitation of the Administration b.y the Apia Chamber of Commerce on the one hand, and a committee of officials appointed bv the Administrator on the other hand; and a definite scheme for representation on the Legislative Council was arrived at, and legislation was prepared for submission to Parliament during 1922. but tho opportunity did not arise: This legislation will, no doubt, be placed before Parliament at an early date. But once legislation for representation appeared to be actually in sight, the residents of Apia,. as publicly .stated by the gentleman whose stjdemonts are under review, lost all Interest in the subject—a little habit which Island communities have. ■ “The ‘foolish restrictions’ which it is suggested should be swept away, consists, first, ,of an ordinance requiring persons who travel to the island of Savaii to-obtain permits. A permit is issued without _ fee to anv reputable person on application, and as it does not require renewal it is good for all time, unless cancelled by the Commissioner of Police. No inoonvenieneb is caused to anyone in obtaining a permit, but it enables the natives of Savaii to be protected from undesirable elements/ The system has the approval of tho natives themselves; of the missions, whose influence among the natives is of far-reaching good ; of a large part of the (vhite community, and of distinguished visitors who have visited Savaii. “The other restriction was one esn--cerning Chinese labourers, who were at one time in a state of unrest, caused, by agitators who have since been deported. It concerned no one but Chinese, aitd the situation has' so. im T proved since the present Chinese Consul camo to Samoa that legislation has been passed authorising the Administrator to suspend the restrictions, and the suspension has actually been made.

“The group truly is a fertile one, and has felt the recent slump less than any other Island group, but not owing to any action of the business community. This happy condition arises from the fact that it was during the period of the slump that tho Administration set up by New Zealand was executing considerable and necessary public works, and very considerable sums ofmoney were being spent in rehabilitating the Crown Estates, with a view to bringing them into satisfactory agricultural ‘heart.’ Further, the steady prosecution of New Zealand’s policy of reasonable treatment of all classes of the community, including the natives,, who form the majorityresulted in native contentment, and it is to note that the achievement of their contentment synchronises with the heaviest export of copra on record—the 1922 output. These factors have enabled the business community of Samoa to feel the slump less than the communities in other Pacific Islands.