SAMOA REPORT TABLED

Evening Star, Issue 20255, 16 August 1929, Page 8

SAMOA REPORT TABLED

THE ADMINISTRATOR’S TROUBLES MAU QUIETER, BUT STILL ACTIVE [Fkom Our Paeluuentakt Ebtoetsh.] I WELLINGTON, August IG. 1 The political situation in. Samoa is referred to by the Administrator of Samoa in his annual report tabled in the House of Representatives. Colonel Allen say r s that the attitude of the Mau has changed during the year from one of ostentation and aggression to more subdued form, but the same difficulty in dealing with it persists. To effect arrests on any charge is rendered difficult by the offender cither running away to the bush or being concealed by his friends, and, though the criminal law has been fairly well enforced, there are still a number of offenders at large. The collection ol taxes by civil process has been impossible to deal with in any large number, and the more prominent individuals only had been singled out for attention. Though the position is, of course, by no means satisfactory, it is, on the other hand, easy to exaggerate the difficulties of the present situation (says the Administrator). Except for the collection of native taxes, the Administration may bo said to be functioning with reasonable efficiency. The country, with negligible exceptions, is quiet and orderly, and the trading figures for the year clearly indicate that the Mau movement has had no seriously detrimental effect upon the material prosperity of the natives or upon the country as a whole. Native unrest still continues, and the Mau organisation still contains some two-thirds of native population. This is rellected in the revenue from the native taxes, which has produced for the year ended March dl, 192?, £<>.fitout cf an estimated return of £19,400. However, the activities of the Administration on behalf of the Samoan population by way of education and medical treatment have been fully maintained.