ISLAND. UNREST

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 34, 9 August 1921, Page 4

ISLAND. UNREST

THE MINISTER'S VISIT

EFFECT OF LIQUOR QUESTION

CRITICISM CONSIDERED.

The Minister for External Affairs (tho Hon. E. P. Lee) returned to Wellington yesterday after his visit to Western Samoa. He was accompanied by Mr. J. D. Gray, secretary of tho External Affairs Department.' ■ - >

Interviewed on hie arrival, Mr. Lee explained tlie purpose of his trip. Plans had been made' for a visit to Samoa by the Prime Minister and himself, but tho summons to Mr. Massey to attend tho Imperial Conference intervened, " As, however, decisions with regard to many important questions affecting finance, stuffing, Crown estates, labour, etc., had beon deferred until after personal consultation with tho Administrator and his, officers (said Mi', Lee), it became necessary for me to proceed alone and settle them. I also desired to make personal inquiry into the administrative acts of: commission and- omission which have been so freely criticised by a certain" 'wbito element in Apia that is strongly opposed to Now Zealand's presence in the group, and to 'satisfy myself on the spot as to the truth or otherwise of the assertions. " Particularly did I desire to give the 1 white residents of Apia who, have criticised our administration so persistently in the press of Australia, America, and England <in opportunity to meet me," with the Administrator, to make specific charges and to adduce ( what evidence they could in support ''of them. With this object in view, I publicly intimated immediately after my arrival in Apia that I had come to listen and inquire into aay matters that the non-official white residents might desire to bring before mo, and I invited them to come forward." WHITE SETTLERS' COMPLAINTS. The only response to this" invitation was a letter stating that the signatories (white and half-caste settlers) considered' : it futile to make suggestions for the proper management of the group, as tfrey would only be ignored as in the past. The letter complained that taxation had increased by; over 100 per cent., though the population was less by 25 per cent, than in 1915, and stated that both natives and Europeans were disgusted with the,state of affairs and besought rigid retrenchment to prevent tho steady drift of the country to bankruptcy. "If this cannot' bo done," said the letter, "we believe that you will be compelled to agree with our contention that, considering tho fact that it requires double the revenue and'about two and a-half times the number of Government officials to control a considerably reduced population, New Zealand's control of Samoa has been a N hopeless failure. This failure is bringing about a,feeling amongst all. classes of the inhabitants that a monster petition should be sent to the Imperial authorities, asking them to take over control of this^ place, relieving New Zealand of the'responsibility which she has proved' herself incapable to cope with." ' "This letter," continued , Mr. Leo, "was signed by 131 white and halfcaste traders, planters, and residents, and, but for one significant! icircuin-' stance, the refusal of the people who have had so much to say in disparagement of our conduct of Samoan, affairs bo meet me and make good their accusations would have surprised me greatly. When . one travels 1500. miles, j amongst other reasons, to give., people Who have published' all sorts of extravagant statements a chance to repeat these statements at a place and under conditions where they can be- tested and either proved or disproved, one lias 'jiist cause to be surprised if the opportunity is not only neglected but refused. The inference is clear. I do 'not for one moment 1 suggest that tho discontent with and hostility to New Zealand are not prevalent and widespread, but I do say that tho main-cause isinot that alleged by our critics in the letter they addressed to me or in their published statements. PROHIBITION LAW. , "This brings me to the significant circumstance referred to above. On the afternoon of the day this letter waa handed to me, I received a deputation, consisting of Mr. B. H. Brush, manager, Burns, Philp, Ltd.; Mr. C. M,. Grey, manager; Meredith's (Samoa), Ltd.; and Mr. N. H. M'Donald, chief surveyor and Secretary of Native Affairs, and representing between 200 and 300 white and half-caste- residents who have a petition before the Government at the present moment praying for such modification of the prohibition "enactment as will enable them to obtain alcoholic liquor as a beverage. This deputation interviewed me to personally urge mo, and, through me, the Cabinet, to favonrably consider the granting of a permit system under rigoroaa control, and at this interview it was stated to me deliberately, and, I am sure, in all sincerity, that our drastic liquor law was the cause of tho discontent with and prejudice against New Zealand, and that if it were relaxed to the extent suggested, I need expect very little further criticism. I was assured that, nothing the New Zealand Government could do would do more good, and satisfy the white residents better, than the granting of this liquor concession. ' ,

"I aoi satisfied that the delegation, I in making this candid admission, "only gave definite utterance to a conviction which is held-by the majority of peojjle who are familiar with recent Samoan history^.. I became familiar with the sentiment about prohibition as soon as I embarked on the Tofoa at Auckland, and it became an increasingly important topic of discussion as the voyage progressed. The petition will be brought up for consideration on the return of the Prime .Minister from London, and it will then be for Cabinet to decide Whether there is or ia not to be any' modification of the liquor prohibition in, favour of the . white and half- j caste residents. I have come away from Samoa with the conviction that failing some concession in respect of liquor, nothing our New Zealand Administration can do will find favour with a large number of the European residents. We propose, therefore, to go steadily ahead with our work, 'having in view particularly the development and well-being of the indigenous population, as this is the express obligation imposed upon us by the mandate. As a matter of fact, the hostility we have evoked in certain quarters is really not to be wondered at. New Zealand has come into Samoa to govern the Islands primarily in the interests of tlio Samoan people, and in doing so it must naturally expect to incur the resentment of certain private interests. This ' hostility of trading and planting interests to Gov- | ernmont and missionary activities is one of. the outstanding features of Pacific history. INFLUENCE ON NATIVE MIND/ "This pifriHont criticism Mid agitation against New Zealand, however, may lvive. mi effect which no Administration cati afford to ignore, i refer.to" ite. influence on Liv: unlive 1 mind. There «an be no doul.it bul- that. I lie nttitud« of. certain of the wbjtofi, mi half pastes

has disaffected the Samoans, particularly in the vicinity of Apia.. As a matter of fact, the delegation abovo mentioned, as an argument in favour of the petition, stated that the discontent of fee Eiiro;peans with New Zealand's pslicy and control undoubtedly reacted on tho Samoan mind, and caused the natives to ■view its with disfavour also. I had convincing pi-oof of this before I left Apia. On the forenoon of the day before I sailed I met the Faipules (members of ithe Native Council or Parliament) at tho Mulinu's Fono (Parliament) House. There were present the two High Chiefs Malietoa and Tui, and some 28 Faipules. After the customary Samoan- ceremonies Toalupe, for the Faipule's, said they had prepared a petition to. His Majesty' King George asking that the Government of Western Samoa should be transferred from New Zealand to Groat Britain. ■They were not satisfied because they ■had not been consulted with respect to or been asked to sign the Peace, Treaty, which, disposed of,their territory, as they had the Convention of .1899, which made ■it a protectorate of Germany. A PETITION TO THE KING. "The petition to the King was read by the clerk, and in effect it requested that a Governor only should be sent from England, and that Samoan affairs should be left to be administered by the chiefs, with the"help and guidance of a few of . the old whito' residents. After I had assured the Faipules that the petition would bo forwarded to His Majesty and had outlined the policy of the New Zealand Government,, the High Chief Malietoa suggested to the Faipules that I should be asked to hold the petition for six months, and that at the end of that period they should finally 1 decide whether it was to be presented or withdrawn. I nt once said I could not agree to that course, and that the petition unust either be presented or withdrawn at that meeting. The Faipules thereupon said i'bbey woulcf withdraw the petition temporarily, and hold another meeting on the day after my departure to .decide ■what they should do with it/ In view of an interview that I ha"d with a certain resident that same afternoon I shall not be surprised to fea-ra by the mail due next week that the Faipules hare again decided to present the petition. otER-STAFFING NOT PROVED. "I am satisfied," continued Mr: Lee, "as the result of my -visit, that the oftrepeated charge that our Somoan Public Service is over-staffed, both in respect to the work to be performed and in comparison with the previous German administration, has no foundation l' in fact. Wo have,a most capable staff of. conscientious officers who are doing their work under trying conditions. Ido not consider their pay and allowances at all excessive 1, and although I frequently, asked, I was unable to get on© critic to point to a single officer who was unnecessary. The Administration is preparing a return, showing tho stf ength of thie German .staff as compared" with our staff, 'and tJio ratio of staff to expenditure, andi this I expect by an early mail. I also'dealt with many important questions affecting our Crown estates atndi general administration. These matters will all ba fully covered in "the first annual report whicK"is now being prepared-, and which will bo forwarded to tho Council of the League of Nations, .and also kid before Parliament during tho coming session."