SAMOAN GRIEVANCES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 10, 12 July 1922, Page 6

SAMOAN GRIEVANCES

UNDER NEW ZEALAND RULE SYDNEY PAPER'S COMMENTS. (Reecived July 12, 1 p.m.) , SYDNEY, This Day. \ The Sydney Morning Herald, in a leader dealing with the administration of the' mandated territories, refers to the New Zealand official report on Samoa. It says that some of the criticism regarding Samoa no doubt should be discounted as emanating from vested interests, which have been prejudiced by the humanitarian policy of the Government. Moreover, the expropriated Germans are naturally inclined to disparage the efforts of their successors; but a charge which appears to have some substance is that under the . new . regime there has been no economic or commercial progress. The German planters know their -works, and how to handle native labour so as to get more out of it. Sinde they have departed the management of the estates has been less effective. The newcomers lacked practical experience, labour has become less amenable, and the productivity of the plantations has diminished.

After reference to the difficulties of the situation, including the troubles arising from the Prohibition law, the leader adds that nevertheless progress has been made. The Administration can point to substantial achievements in publio works, education, and public health, and it can hope, as memory of grievances fades, that the obs .ructivemess in certain quarters will be replaced by a spirit of willing co-operation.