Samoan Grievances

Evening Star, Issue 19614, 21 July 1927, Page 9

Samoan Grievances

Demands of Citizens’ Committee Protest Against Administration Mr Nosworthy’s Lenghty Reports Full reports of the statements presented to the Administrator of the Mandated Territory of Western Samoa by the Citizens’ Committee and the Samoans are contained in the lengthy report to the Parliament of New Zealand by the Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of External Affairs, which was tabled in the House yesterday.

On Jane 1 Mr Nosworthy was presented with a loyal address by two Fautuas and thirty-five Faipules of Western Samoa. “We are now in session, and working faithfully to elp our Administrator, His Excellency Sir George S. Richardson. Wo have assurance of his real love and his untiring seal for the well-being and prosperity of this country. His heart is full of love for Samoa. Wo are persuaded that he is the right man to govern ns in these clays when Samoa’s understanding in all matters is not complete,” reads the address.

national debt, so that the causes might be removed. They declare that every effort should be made to eliminate the national debt by the disposal and sale of buildings and other properties purchased with loan money, the proceeds to go towards the payment of the debt. Government officials from overseas should be reduced in number, so that the high salaries and the heavy expenditure incidental to their leaving home and return might be saved. On the grounds of ability, lower salaries, and a real advance tor the Samoans, the natives ask that most of the Government positions should be available to native Samoans, Europeans horn in Samoa, and Europeans who have settled in Samoa.

“ At the present time there is our enemy working against us and trying to continually hinder all the splendid instructions which we are trying to carry out, together with His Excellency the Administrator, in. order that Samoa may make rapid progress towards the light. . . . Wo wish to point out:

“ A really competent doctor to take charge of the Health Department, the encouragement of private practitioners, and the abolition of the medical tax arc sought, “It does not require a student of native affairs in Samoa to note and bo struck by the inconsistency of the Government’s native policy,” states the European report. “ Nor does it need the experience of an old resident to know that such a proud and highlyintclligcnt race as the Samoans would not tolerate the existing anomalies without resentment.” The Samoan report on the question states: “ What wo do want is a little more recognition of our sense of what is due to us as a people. Wo require sympathy and encouragement in our aspiration. Highminded action will not produce the best in us.”

" (1) The shrewdness of some Europeans in this country has really given Samoa the name or being a divided country at .the present time. “ (2) The strained relationship between some Europeans in Samoa has been the means of dividing the Samoan people. “ (3) By his wisdom His Excellency the Administrator unites Samoa iu one people. “ (-1) The cleverness of the European who desires power scatters Samoa that she may not become a united people. “ (of Hence some Europeans and half-castes have set up opposition against a European who is the responsible power. His Excellency the Administrator, and for no cause at all as far as Samoans wore concerned their people are now divided as to these two: (b). Ho who is the appointed authority and . (b) he who seeks appointment for himself. “ Therefore we humbly beg and pray with hearts full of hope in the loving will of His Majesty the King of Great Britain, that ho will lovingly accept our plea that the Government may do something or issue a command to forbid tlie.se Europeans and half-castes to cause trouble in inciting Samoans to oppose our Government. . . . Our villages are healthier and more beautiful places to live iu because of regulations for sanitation and beautifying; wo have good roads and water supplies; plantations are prosperous; the establishment of hospitals, dispensaries, and schools, and many other improvements, clearly indicates the love of our Governor for ns and his aim for the future prosperity of this country.”

On Prohibition, the European report reads; The prohibition of the free indulgence of alcoholic liquor by Europeans in Samoa will over remain a grievance which nothing will remove except tlio restoration of iho rights of the Europeans in this respect. _ Protests, representations, and petitions have been made to the New Zealand Government against this most unconstitutional measure since its very inception. All the attempts to justify this arbitrary law have been far from convincing. . . . The manner iu

which this law was brought in, and the methods used to carry this law into effect, have seriously affected tlio faith of those who had pride in that noble institution known as British justice. The doubts of others in this institution have been confirmed, while those who had no faith in it haveboon added to in number. . . . As

ffc-r tlio Europeans, the result has been most deplorable. Hardly one who has any taste for beer, wine, or spirits at all has not broken the law in some way. Most, if not all, make or consume loc-ally-manufactured liquor in some form or other. ■ It is doubtful if anyone would resist a chance to smuggle liquor when the occasion arises. . . . There can now bo no obstacle to the repeal of tlio Prohibition law for Europeans in Samoa, except that of sentiment in New Zealand.” Tiie Samoan report on Prohibition is as follows;—“As wo feel our own old customs and resent their summary abolition, so do wo appreciate the resentment felt by file Europeans in the drastic restriction of their free indulgence iu .spirituous liquors, which is an old custom with them. It is i-igont that regulations ho made to allow Europeans their liquor, so that the making of the more harmful 1 home brew ’ may ultimately pass away. _ The saLsiactorr solution of the Prohibition jar against Europeans will undoubtedly rotlces favorably on the Samoan, in_so much that they will bo saved the temptation of brewing for sale to Europeans, now resulting in many heavy punishments against them. The native health has been impaired seriously owing to having learnt to make and drink ‘ homo brew ’ ns a result of the liquor prohibition to Europeans.”

On June 9 another loyal address was presented by Faipules, chiefs and orators, at Savaii, in which it was stated: “ Wo deeply regret within our hearts that there arc a few Europeans who are leading Samoa in wicked paths.” The full reports presented to the Administrator by the Citizens’ Committee are reprinted in Mr Nosworthy’s report. The committee objects to the election of the Legislative Council, which needed urgent revision (it says), as the Governor’s casting vote might always decide in favor of the Government. The Government majority is not representative of the people, and the elected members had to act according to the policy made for them. The Samoans, it is claimed, should he represented by members of their own choice.

The Citizens’ Committee states that the expenditure of the country had jumped from £66,70-5 in 1915-16 to the sum of £133,500 in 1926-27, which was double the amount of only cloven years ago. The figures, they claimed, must impel the Administration of the mandated territory to take into serious consideration the question of retrenchment in those departments, which, when compared with the neighboring island Governments, would permit considerable reductions being made in the amounts of salaries and allowances, or a reduction in the number of officials. A more careful drafting of specifications of Iho cost of public works was absolutely necessary, and should be submitted to a competent board composed of citizens before being acted upon “Where do the taxpayers and contributors of the revenue come in? ” asks the committee, iu referring to the control of public money. Under the Samoa Act, the Administrator, subject to tiie control of the Minister of External Affairs of New Zealand, directs expenditure from the Samoan Treasury. The so-called ilhrticipation of the contributors is a mere chimera. The Citizens’ Committee asks that a financial hoard, elected by the people, should bo created.

STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR NATIVE REVOLT DENIED Press Association—By Telegraph-Copyright. SAN FRANCISCO, July SO. (■Received July 21, at 10.55 a.m.) The Governor of Samoa, through Mr Nixon Westwood, the agent here, declared that the statements, made by the novelist, Mr C. Yore, that the Samoans are revolting, arc absurdly ridiculous and untrue. It is admitted that the Europeans are protesting against the discriminatory liquor laws and urging tho_ n-feivos to resist. The latter are satisfied and want tho European agitators deported. The liquor administration is outside the New Zealand mandate.

The -Samoan report on finance asked that the Estimates should, bo printed also in the Samoan language. An investigation should bo made of the