SAMOA

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 91, 17 April 1923, Page 8

SAMOA

NEW ZEALAND SHOULD CAPTURE

TRADE

ARE BUSINESS MEN APATHETIC?

Colonel R. W. Tate, C.M.G., C.8.E., formerly Administrator of Samoa, was the chief guest and speaker at the Rotary Club_ luncheon to-day, and the subject of his address was "Samoa and the Pacific." Colonel Tate said that his subject was a very wide one, and he wuld have to confine his remarks to Samoa. There was much that he could tell them, but he had decided to say something that would suggest a personal interest. Since his return he had doubted whether people were apathetic or interested in Samoa, and he had felt that business men were apathetic towards Samoa. That they could not afford to be. Samoa should be of supreme business importance to them as it was governed under a mandate system, which was different altogether to the old system of annexation. Their government at present was liable to scrutiny. It was their responsibility to look after the welfare of Samoa, and he would dwell on the economic interest of the island. The imports for the last four years were £1,544,352, as compared with exports amounting to £1,526,236. The speaker referred in detail to the trade of the island, and dealt with the comparative imports from Australia and New Zealand. In some of the items New Zealand lagged behind, and the speaker asked if it, were not possible for this country to capture the trade. Although in some cases New Zealand had a supremacy, he suggested that a general survey of the figures would show that New Zealand was not holding her own. First-class meat from Australia '(was going to Samoa 10 per cent, cheaner than New Zealand meat. New Zealand had a bad reputation in the Pacific. There were certain defects which; should be remedied. For instance, New Zealand did not send any catalogues or travellers to the islands, whereas Australia had eight travellers constantly' in the islands. Then., again, there was the trouble of bad packing. As to Samoa's products, ■ there was copra, which at present went to Europe and America; fruit of all kinds; nutmegs and peanuts. New Zealand should have the Samoan trade, as it was 600 miles nearer Samoa than was Australia.

Samoa also had a personal interest to Now Zealanders as a playground. Samoa was delightfully warm when New Zealand was "very cold; the climate was delightful. They would get an entire change of scene; everything was so bright and the vegetation was so brilliant. Another attraction was the strange and wonderful fruit to be obtained at the island, and the scenery was a delight to the eye. The Samoans themselves were also very interesting, as were the villages in which they lived.

A vote of thanks was accorded Colonel Tate for his address.