THE UNREST IN SAMOA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 17 August 1927, Page 4

THE UNREST IN SAMOA.

“AIR FULL OF RUMOURS.” OR] )ER S FOR BAX ISIIM FN T. The political situation is unchanged. Tl\o recent visit of the Minister of Internal Affairs dispersed the white commit tee, but tlu disaffected natives carried on with their own committee. It is said that they did tlt is under the direction of Europeans who kept under cover. Everything is still in the air, and notwithstanding requests the disgruntled chiefs will not bring forth laoir grievances before the Adminis Ira tor. so that a settlement, a! the i'emeut. is apparently as far off as ~\cr. With two prominent members of Iho Citizens’ Committee in Lew Zealand the chiefs are content. They bclicvo thut there is a favourable answer coming to them from Wellington. Three natives have been sent to prison for breach of banishment orders. The wonder is that some JO or 00 have not been dealt with, because one and all disregarded instructions to return lo their own districts. The Administrator has been most patient and lenient during the whole agitation, writes the Apia correspondent of the “Auckland Herald.” In defending two chiefs who were charged with breaches of banishment orders Mr. Slipper raised the point that the orders were not validly made and that the Ordinance was ultra vires. In a considered judgment the Chief Judge decided that the orders were valid and that the Ordinance was nei repugnant to the Samoa Act or the law of England. Leave to appeal was riven, but it is doubtful whether counsel will attempt to upset the decision. ‘ ‘ Bordering on Sedition. ’ ’ A charge was laid against another chief of a breach of a recently-made Ordinance regarding the maintenance of native authority. .Mr. Supper again defended. Accused in this case spoke certain words in the presence of a number of Samoans, saying that the disaffected natives had decided not to sealch for beetles, and not to attend district meetings of the faipule. or words to that effect. Virtually the charge was bordering on sedition, and after conviction counsel for the de fence admitted that it was very much the same thing. On a conviction under the Ordinance being made the Crown Prosecutor withdrew the second charge—that of sedition. The words in question were the substance of both charges. A sentence of six months’ imprisonment was imposed. The natives took a keen interest in these proceedings, and in others dealing with the much-discussed Ordinance. In all cases they took the Chief Judge’s ruling very quietly. The air is full of ruinous. It seems clear that outside propaganda is keeping things going. The strength of the Government case is shown in that after a -nine months’ campaign, probing, and delving in every hole and eorder, no concrete evidence of injustice has been produced. 'Banishment. orders are “'counted out” because none would have been made if there had been no agitation. That is a fact that people overlook. Native members of the committee have openly said that “we have no complaint against the Governor or the Government —our complaint is against our own people—the faipules. ” That is what you “bump up against” at every turn. Banishment Orders Explained. fine reads much of alleged tyranny and oppression, but it should always be kept in mind that the population is 40,000, and our police force totals somewhere about JO or 10, with only two white men and two local-born constables. It is not much of a force to tyrannise with. The much-discussed banishment oiders need an explanation to enable those outside Samoa to understand the position, it is an old custom among the Samoans to banish those who disturb the peace and harmony of the village. The old punishment was to burn the house of the disturber of the peace, destroy his crops, and cast him adrift ir. a canoe. This was severe treatment and the Germans put the matter under the control of the Governor, and New Zealand followed suit. The law as contained now in the Samoan Offenders’ Ordinance lias been in force roughly for over 2d years, and most orders made under it have been made at the urgent request of the chiefs themselves. What happens now is that the offender is ordered from one district and told to live in another. He goes from the place where he has a political pull to the place where he has none, or very little. No hardship is suffered under the order, as the man is usually transferred to a village where some branch of his family resides Samoans arc largely one big family and the universal hospitality covers everyone. Titles are also taken away under this Ordinance, but that means nothing, because. it is doubtful whether that is recognised by Samoan custom, and in auy case the man can always get bis title back on evidence of goad bchavious at the request of his family. A Curious Position Created. Prior to the recent unrest the law has not been used on very many occasions. and banishments were made usually for periods of a few months only. Since the agitators got to work o T ders have followed as a matter of course, and now the Administrator gets -i broaside for his “tyranny” in making these “acts of opposition.” Thus the curious position arises of an Administrator being attacked on a subject which has more or less been created by the agitators. Had there been no agitation there would have been no oiders and no acts of “tyranny” and “oppression.” If certain Europeans would only leave the natives alone natters would adjust themselves in a very short time.