PROGRESS OF SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19320, 6 May 1926, Page 13

PROGRESS OF SAMOA.

LACK OF WHITE SETTLERS. CONTROL OF CROWN ESTATES. CRITIC OF ADMINISTRATION. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. An* outspoken, critic of the administration of Samoa is Mr. G. E. L. Westbrook, an elected member of the Legislative Council of Samoa, who has arrived here after a trip to England. Mr. Westbrook stated to-day that he did not think the prospects of Samoa were as bright as they might be and ought to be. He regretted the lack of European settlers of the right class to carry on the copra, cocoa and other industries of the Islands. The lack of white settlers of the right class was, in his opinion, due largely to the failure of the authorities to dispose of the Crown estates to active business men. These estates, which were taken over from the Germans at the outbreak of th« war, were administered for some years at a heavy loss. Since the advent of Sir George Richardson, the present Administrator, an improvement had been effected by economical working and a reduction in overhead charges had been made. Tho Board of Control had removed a great deal of the inefficiency which previously existed. The success of the new system of managing these properties had been proved b- the considerable profits shown during the past year. In Mr. Westbrook's opinion some of the departments of the Administration ar* over-staffed and there is room for economies to be carried out. Like political oppositions in most countries, Mr. Westbrook thinks that tho taxation should bo reduced. The payment of interest and sinking fund amounting to 6 per cent, on the loan of £IOO,OCO from the New Zealand Government was, in his judgment, an undue load for the people to bear, especially when other imposts had also to be paid. The medical department,, he said, cost £25,000 a year, and although much good work had been done by the doctors in reducing such scourges as yaws, hookworm and other tropical diseases, certain economies could also be made in some branches of this work. High praise was given to the labours of the London Missionary Society, tho Catholic missionaries and the Weslcyan Mission.' Tho first-named of these missions will celebrate its centenary in about six years' time. Nearly every Samoan has become an adherent of one of th*?se churches. Mr. Westbrook thinks the teaching they provide adequately meets the needs of the Samoan natives. The export duty of £1 a ton on copra and £2 a ton on cocoa beans should, in Mr. Westbrook's opinion, be considerably reduced. These duties, together with the increased labour cost and the high shipping charges, greatly hampered progress in these industries. He states that it costs nearly as much to ship a ton of cocoa beans to Dunedin as it does to ship it to London. What, he asked, would the New Zealand primary producers say if such an export duty were imposed on their produce ?