CHINESE IN SAMOA

Evening Post, Issue 30, 4 August 1936, Page 14

CHINESE IN SAMOA

PROMISE TO NATIVES

REPATRIATION PLAN

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) , • ' CHRISTCHURCH August 3.

The^ repatriation of Chinese coolie labour at present in Samoa will be commenced by the New Zealand Government during the coming twelve months. Referring to the visit of the Goodwill Mission on his return to Lytteltou today, Mr. James O'Brien MP for, Westland, -stated that -the question of the inter-marriage of races was one of\ the big problems of Samoa, and the delegation had given the people there an undertaking to repatriate the labour that had been brought into the country during the ■past administration. Over 200 Chinese would leave Samoa for their own country in less than twelve months, and other drafts of Chinese coolies would be made from year to year until all outside labour had been removed. It was not possible to repatriate all the Chinese labour at ;tnce, as it was necessary that some of these people,should be retained to complete the work on the copra plantations for which they had been originally engaged. Mr. O'Brien added that the delegation had formed the opinion that Samoans could easily be brought to become industrious, and under proper Government supervision could be, allowed to work out their own destiny.

An increase of membership of over ninety during the last- month was reported at the monthly meeting of the /Wellington Automobile, Association last night. The membership now exceeds 6000.