GERMAN SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14304, 25 February 1910, Page 6

GERMAN SAMOA.

GRIEVANCES OF SETTLERS,

PETITION TO THE ' REICHSTAG^

Residents of German Samoa are petitioning the Reichstag for autonomy :. ff' petitioners state that the hope, cherished'" ten years ago that a more peaceful and '- prosperous period of development would •'" set in have not been realised. ' - 1. ' The petition continues, inter alia-" '''" "Ten years ago when the German . f£ was raised, mast of the inhabitants be " lieved that then would com© a peaceful "' prosperous advancement. These c.xpecta' lions have m far only been partially' achieved. Unfortunately most of the set tiers now living in Samoa believe that" most unsound conditions rule in the--' islands, and, that measures taken by tWAdministration are, and have bee-i on ■ prcssive and unprofitable, and have .&. ■ " tarded the advancement and the happi" ness of the colony. The majority of, white residents believe that, many of the ordi" nances issued by the Administration have been more or less useless and oppressive If the Reichstag have decided that Samoa, ' must support its own Administration th'dinhabitants accept this dictum with Viae; rity, as it is easy of accomplishment"' ■ But ft is highly desirable that, the colon' " ists may have as far as possible the ri<rW : to govern themselves. Those who pay " the rates ought to control the expenditures. This is the chief- desire of the s " petitioners, and most of the inhabitant* ■ of the colony. .-■>.-;•• -..; We find that we have no voice in the expenditure of, the taxes,-and that' we do not even learn. how the money has been disposed of. Excluding the of. final members, the Government Council Which has only an advisory vote, consists of five, planters, and - a-merchant- who does not speak German. This Council, with limited powers and as now constituted •- does not represent the majority of the taxpayers or their wishes. v<sjr- . "We may say that this Council chiefly represents the interests of "a certain firm - ; whose desires differ very much from those '• of the-; majority- of -the ;colonists, i Wa?' believe that the Government Council ought to be periodically elected by the rate:. payers, from whom these 'nominations should emanate, a.nd the meetings of tins Council should be. public. We think this Council should arrange the taxation and the Budget, and that it- should have"j an advisory voice in connection /with native affairs. As other German colonies, who ; ; do not support themselves, already have self.' government, we feel that, we may ' justly \ claim that we. too, may. joy > these pri- ; vileges. From such- self-government We' certainly would expect -good-results...'' < "Of the 435 white population of Samoa," 38 of these are Government .officials, while in the year 1902, with about/the,; same number, of whites and natives',;i.tlie"re/.; were only 20 white (Officials. If we had | had self-government - the; .taxation ,- law r; \ lately promulgated '-. could not have. been >; issued,:. because of the * injustice .'.' of this ;'] taxation, against which we. strongly pro-;:.; test. A Traders' Association has been ; formed. . > This body -. represents ' ''■ three- > fourths -of the capital-which, is invested'; in business enterprises in German Samoa. ' Excluding J the Deutches Handels -amd. I Plantagen .'.. Gessellsch aft,";' and , others - influenced by them, the association ;represents 92 per cent, of' the capital employed/ in business in Samoa. -The 33,000 nativesl; resident*. in - Samoa pay • 130,000'; marks, which is about four -marks per head { brit ] from 40,000 to '50,000 marks of this col- ; lection is paid back. to the .- natives :in the;]'. form of;salaries of native officials, and a further sum of 36,000 marks' is also paid back;to them] for the native troops. The . requirements of the- Samoan . for domestic ; purposes are trifling, while those of "the-.| • whites ,; are. heavy; . the.' native .people? pay} i lan \ exceedingly small »proportionate - share;;; of the -import revenues-. There • are 435". ; . whites- and -, about v4OO ' half-castes 'registered, as' whites: •"";'£ These -f together j* pay - -98,000 - marks, including,- the -house' and ■.; ; other taxes, and this amounts-do'-.117!; "marks per .head. There are 65 mission--.; aries, who pay but a- trifle, i and 41 offb 1 cials • who -also pay but : little, .and -. 56 planters, triflingly assessed. It is found that the whole weight of the taxation 1 is practically borne by the • merchants and commercial element. Such distinctions"' as we have ] here »in this "assessment would -never's, be;tolerated; in Germany. ■■ . •-;.'- ;-•' '""** "It is very hard for' a young colony, where the enterprises are still in' their'in-;-fancy, .to, sot 'out! and support--itself.' Buli ' still. we aro of opinion- that this can be done,; provided the;taxes are fairly levied' . and expended. We now propose an export. tax on produce as formerly,. and thoogh wo " are awaro'that the ■'„ German ; Government ' ; did 'not approve this impost -'"for"' New Guinea," we point out that here; in Samoa j the conditions are very different, as cocoanuts have long been grown, and these plantations '; are now paying heavy,"] dividends. The]Deutches Handel und Plantagen*Ges-,; sellschaft ;pay .the largest share of their handsome dividends from .the ' output £of ; their , plantations,?;and the profits theron;- - An export tax on "copra would produce from,Bo,ooom.. to 1000.000 m. per annum if levied at 10m. , : per ton,;; and a- large ' pro-; portion of this would'. be borne the r na- v tives, Who annuallv sell from 6000 to 7000 tons of-copra. The direct,; native-taxes ;. largely -go back.to] those people in the form.of salaries to the native, officials. 'If a:i export tax were put on* copra it-would scarcely be felt-by them. .In lime to come' cacao and rubber : may also be taxed, as it' passes out of .Samoa: ■■■'• ';''•"'- :"More schools and 'teachers aro ; required." The present .land ordinances are all' m the favour of the one comuanv, who have . for sale, large tracts,; which they mean to market before native or other lands', may beadmitted- for. legal disposal. This favoured ' company havo.publiclv stated in'their.pub;..; lished balance-sheet of 1907 that, in consequence of the : restrictive ordinances made to stop the sale of native' holdings, they may be able in time to sell large tracts, of a their, lands. We see in this present land ordinance one- of, the greatest obstacles to the • development of the colony and to the - trade .Ave might do with the Fatherland.Even if tile native, population should,donb.»j. itself within a reasonable time, there'"still will: be thousands of acres of ; unoccupied : good land, which never can come ml use by native enertiv. The new .taxation W- ;. i- verv hard upon small people, and may drive many of them out of business, to become a burthen upon the community. .-■ A tax noon unimproved lands would supply .a considerable revenue to. our light Treasury,; : and it would make speculation m lands unprofitable. • ,',' ;".' , ■ :... . .'vi;; "The time has now'arrived when the in-; terests of the Deulehes Handel und Plantagen Ge«ellschaft; ought not to tike precedeuce of the best. - interests of Germany, Samoa. If this companv has ever at. Say.:: time performed anv services who'll the W. . hire has felt grateful for, the Emmie has... discharged those obligations in full long.-: long ago, -by favours innumerable ■•-ana,.; onerous' Anv further concessions "'• favours are granted at the expense; of ne ; other colonists and the best prospects or the whole colour. Our chief complaint h«j been against the over-government and tnc retrospective taxes levied, but .-control . at this end is really our maind«<re, ana. wo houestlv think, the best and *J*«gg of all cures for our present,-. d.souierco - State." . ] »»£