SAMOAN COMPLAINTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17571, 9 September 1920, Page 5

SAMOAN COMPLAINTS.

THE VISITING DELEGATES.

f \■. i . . i i . REPLY BY THE MINISTER. DENIAL OF "ALLEGATIONS. I ■ i .ii:- --:■ i . -«*J QbY TELEG&AEH.SPECIAL BEPOBTEB] WELLINGTON, Wednesday: • A Ministerial reply embracing the -whole :>f the allegations made by the Samoan leputation to the various chambers oi commerce that it has "met and' in its interview with the Prime Minister has been issued- by the. Minister for Externa] Affairs (Hon. E. P. Lee), and despatched to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Ihe .Minister slates that many of the charges made by the deputation were advanced wtihout inquiry having been made from the Administration to check theii accuracy, and he regrets that the chamber has apparently accepted them at theii Face value. He also dissents strongly from the' statement that the whole of the community, of Western Samoa is riddled with discontent. • A certain section, he says, has not ■ forgiven the Government for enforcing prohibition, but that decision had given great satisfaction to a great many of the residents, and particularly to-the Samoans themselves, in the promotion of whose interests the Administration after ,all is mainly concerned. The principal grievance appears to be the establishment of the stores sales branch. This will be a minor department of the : stores branch of the Administration. There will be no cash sales from this establishment, but there will be a certain amount of commodities supplied to permanent officials by a system of coupons. The traders apparently fear a leakage, but strict precautions have been taken to avoid anything like a transfer of options to unauthorised persons. Any permanent official found doing so will be liable to dismissal. With regard to the possible reopening oi the D. H. and P. G. stores, the Minister points out that since the stores were closed the bulk of the trade that they did has gone to the Island traders. They have thus received the whole benefit of the action of the New Zealand Government in taking these stores from German control and eliminating German competition. The Legislative Council. The request for representation on the Legislative Council, he says, is a reasonable one, which the Government is anxious to effect, but in his opinion the time has not yet arrived to effect it. The suggestion that the electorate should consist oi all European residents of over two years' standing would enfranchise about 250 out of a total. European population of 1600. In regard to the Administration of the Central Hotel the Minister's advice is that it is paying its way, but is not at present paying. interest on —about £550 per annum- It is anticipated that if will ultimately pay a profit on all expenditure and provide a sinking fund. The Administration, he contends, is not overstaffed in view- of the • work that ii being initiated and the present position cannot be compared with that during the German occupation or the military administration. Trade delations. After dealing with a number of fnrthei complaints seriatim the Minister con eludes : " With respect to the matter o! the development of trade relations betweei New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, ] entirely agree that this is a subject o vital interest to this Dominion and especi ally to Auckland, and I can assure yo» that the New Zealand Government and thi Samoan Administration are anxious an< willing to do everything possible to foste and promote this trade. But if New Zea land's Island trade is not' at present) a satisfactory as it might be, do no the responsibility and blame rest entirely with the merchants and traders of th< Dominion. I certainly do not think thai the New Zealand Government or th< Samoan Administration can be justlj blamed. All the facts within my knowledge indicate that, the merchants and traders, particularly of Auckland, have shown themselves indifferent to the possibilities of our island trade. The constant complaint of the island traders is that they cannot get their orders, - particularly for meats and breadstuffs, filled, and that the New Zealand merchants make no effort to cater for their special needs. It is hoped that as a result of the report of the Island Trade Commissioners, _ and x>f the visit of this Samoan delegation, the Dominion's trade with Western Samoa will be stimulated, and that our traders and merchants will display in future a greater keenness and willingness to cater for and fully meet tie requirements of their island customers." j