CONDITIONS IN SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17708, 17 February 1921, Page 8

CONDITIONS IN SAMOA.

CAUSES OF THE BOYCOTT.

THE LABOUR DIFFICULTY.

NATIVES OFFER SOLUTION. 9

Various aspects of Samoan affairs were discussed last evening by Captain HL C. Cotton, who recently resigned the position of Secretary of Native Affairs rn the Samoan Administration, and who arrived

at Auckland yesterday. Captain Cotton, who went to Samoa' with the advance guard of the Expeditionary Force~in 1914, and save for one ihort visit to Auckland four years ago has been there ever since, has held various official positions in both the military and civil administrations.

Dealing first ?rith th© " Sa," or boycott of European goods, by the natives, Captain Cotton faid it commenced about six months ago. The principal reasons for the action of the natives, apart from their unsettled state, were: First, their disappointment at not being able to float a company for the purchase of their goods and the sale of their copra; and, second, the high prices the traders were charging them. They wished to form a sort of cooperative company. They went so far as to collect £6500 in a company, the capital of which was to have been £15,000. They were not able to collect the rest of the money and the venture fell through. They succeeded in their attempt to have prices reduced, for the traders jointly issued a price list, which did not, however, have the effect of breaking the boycott to any large extent. The natives were beginning to see the folly of their policy, as it created hardships which pressed upon the women and children. There was a likelihood of a break in the attitude of tha natives toward the boycott, but the competition among the traders induced some of them to break away from the ranks and reduce prices further than the rates given in the published list. The result was that the natives were still supporting the boycott in the hope that there would be a still further reduction.

The boycott showed a tendency to lift in sevefal places, but this was not general throughout the group. Along with it the natives were refraining from cutting copra, and this caused a stagnation of trade. The estimates for the next period would have to be reduced considerably, as the revenue had fallen off to a very large extent in consequence of the decrease in exports and imports. The labour question was one of great moment, continued Captain Cotton. The group was sadly in need of labour. The present supply of Chinese was inadequate, the majority of the plantations having insufficient to keep the weeds down, much less to develop production. The Samoan Committee had promised the Administration that it would supply native labour. It was hoped this promise would be Wept, but it would require careful organisation by the committee, owing to the difficulty of arranging the supply consequent upon the communal system under which the natives were living. Under this system the whole district would supply the labour for the vessels trading to and from Samoa, but the labour for plantations could only come from the towns adjacent to the plantations. If the inducements were sufficient, the natives would, he thought, work on the plantations, but for limited periods only. Their time was much occupied in preparing their own foodstuffs and attending to village matters. The labour for public works, he believed, would he forthcoming when the Samoans could see that the Administration really intended to carry out a policy of giving better roads, travelling facilities, and water supplies. It was an experiment which, if carefully handled and commenced on a small scale, might lead to good results. Another "happening showing the attitude of the natives was a tour of the island of TJpolu, made by the Administrator, Col. R. W. Tate. The reception he received was cordial in all places except two. About 26 places were visited in all. The Administrator outlined his policy in his speeches, and received from the natives requests for better travelling facilities, medical services, and education. In the two disaffected places disloyal speeches w.ere made, but the responsible chiefs afterwards apologised for the statements uttered. It was probable the Administrator would next visit Savaii about April. The visit to Upolu was a timely one, as the Samoans had been wondering why, during the twenty months he had been in the islands, Colonel Tate had not visited them.