PROGRESS OF SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19452, 7 October 1926, Page 15

PROGRESS OF SAMOA.

PAST YEAR'S GOOD RECORD,

NATIVES* FORWARD MOVEMENT.

SCHOOLS AND CHILD WELFARE

[TROU OUR own correspondent. ]

APIA, Sept. 24. The annual report of the Administrator of Samoa, Sir George Richardson, makes interesting reading. It. is the sixth report to go beforo the League of Nations. There are 47 pages of printed matter, and the photographs and maps should bo sufficient. to satisfy the, most exacting mind. A special report by the Health Department gives complete information on the working of the department. It is also fortified with maps, grafs and photo-

graphs. The policy of the Government as outlined in the report shows that three essentials are being concentrated on for the development of the native race, viz., health, education and agriculture. Compared with the previous year the natural increase in the native population is given nt 1176 (3.26 per cent.), against 1123.

The number of children attending tho x Government schools has risen from 1700 to 2600. The copra production last year •was 11,7C0, against 10,185 tons in tho previous year. Time alone can show whether this is a flash in tho pan on the part of tho natives, or whether it is the beginning of a forward movement to greater permanent development. As far ss ono can judge, tho natives have definitely started along a progressive road, and are so far on the way that it will be difficult to turn back. The total roll call -in the schools is 11,400. This includes tho secondary grade schools run by the various missions under the guidance of the Education Departments The native teachers receive special instruction on teaching. During school vacations these teachers como into Apia for a refresher course. Much good has resulted from this policy. Objects of the Syllabus. The syllabus sots out tho principles under which the department carries on: Briefly (1) All education is based on native life and not on foreign conditions; (2) every pupil must have a thorough knowledge of tho Samoan language; (3) English is taught as a subject only and in no way to replace the native language; (4)' native teachers receive special training in tho methods of imparling knowledge; (5) manual work, agriculture, carpentry, plumbing, etc., arc taught; (6) hygiene instructions given; (7) text books are adapted to Samoan conditions; (8) two yearly scholarships are given to boys for higher education in New Zealand; (9) native teachers to periodically visit Now Zealand to widen their knowledge by seeing some of tho Maori and technical schools there. A yearly subsidy of £6OOO is given by New Zealand to this department. The special report by the Health Department comprises 28 pages of printed matter, and deals with all phases ot the health situation in Samoa. Systematic campaigns have been carried out against yaws and hookworm, and the details show that good work is being done, the number of treatments being much less in number as time goes on. To date over 60,000 injections have been made for yaws. In the first campaign over 36,000 injections were given, and in the third malaga only about 11,000 injections were required. During the year over 15,000 hookworm treatments were administered. The Child Wolfare Work. The child welfare work under the control of two efficient lady doctors has produced fine results, "tn the past there has been very high mortality among the children, especially between the ages of six months and eighteen months, due principally to tho ignorance of the mothers in proper caro and feeding. Every village in Samoa has been visited by these women doctors and one of them, Dr. Mabel Christy, has tramped many hundreds of miles in the course of her work. In every village the babies and children are assembled and inspected; women's committees aro foi'med; medicines are given to the committee with instructions as to the use; the women receive lectures on the subject of child welfare; any cases on hand in the village receive tho special attention of these doctors; special rules for the guidance of the women committees are drawn up. Tho work of the child welfare officers aims at teaching the Samoan mothers, and the future Samoan mothers, how they should care for themselves and their children. The worfc is bearing fruit, too, because a recent threatened epidemic of dysentery was checked mainly through the women's committees acting under the guidance of tho women doctors. Dr. Mabel Christie and Dr. Roberts are deserving of much praise for tho work they are doing. . The census figures in the report aro in- ' teresting. They show a total of 40,231. The Samoans number 36,683 and the Europeans 2488. The coolie and Solomon Island labourers afe reckoned at 1045. Included in the number of Samoans are other Pacific people:—Niueans, 124; Tongans, 69; Tokelau Islanders, 63, and Fijians, 20. The satisfactory feature of the census is the fact that the Samoans are not a dying race, but virile and rapidly increasing in numbers.