SAMOA TO-DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11217, 24 May 1922, Page 4

SAMOA TO-DAY

FIRST ANNUAL REPORT INTERESTING DETAILS OP LABOUR PROBLEMS. PROGRESS TO DATE. The first -annual report of the New Zealand Government on the administration of the mandated territory ot Western Samoa was issued for publication by the Hon. E. P. Lee (Minister for External Affaire) yesterday. Under the Treaty of Versailles each Government entrusted with a mandate has to make such report eacii year to the Council of the League of Nations in regard to the territory committed to its charge. DISORGANISATION. Pointing out that when the New’ Zealand troops invaded and occupied Samoa in August, 1914, the existing organisations of Government trade and! industry were “necessarily and suddenly thrown into a state of great disorganisation,” tho report points out that during the military occupation, which continued for many years, “there were, > irrespective of the indigenous inhabitants, throe concurrent organisations—firstly, the garrison, of tlie occupying force; secondly, the administration set up by the occupying force to carry on tho civil government, which was a military-civil administration, , necessarily interwoven in its relations with the garrison ; and, thirdly, the original community itself, consisting of traders, planters, and others of German and many other races, carrying on its activities as best it could, and taking conscious or unconscious advantage in some respects of the organisations set up by the garrison. “Every one suffered from a feeling of insecurity of tenure. The garrison knew that its duty was only temporary, and sooner or later it would go. The Germane must have felt, as the fortunes of war rose and fell, insecurity for their future, and! the remainder of the community must have shared in this sense of insecurity; and up to the time that the Armistice was declared, in 1918, a steady deterioration was omy to be expected. This 'deterioration was accentuated by the repatriation of the majority of the Chinese labourers, who were essential to the maintenance and cultivation of the plantations; so that by this time not only was there a deteroration in the organisation of the community, but there was also a serious deterioration in the plantations. which constituted its main wealth. THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC. “In November, 1918, the influenza epidemic struck the place, causing the death of many thousands of people, and but for the presence of the garrison, and the excellent services the farrison rendered, the results would ave been more disastrous. Their numbers were diminished, and they blamed their loss to the New Zealanders occupying the place, just as they would have blamed any other nation which happened to be occupying the country at the time of the visitation. Their temperamental cheerfulness received a severe blow. A great number of the older chiefs died, younger and less experienced men succeeded to the positions as chiefs, and nothing could have occurred! to have so pre? pared the minds of tho native people for the insidious action of agitators or for the reflection of the views of the dissatisfied portion of the community, which, though it had suffered nothing of the actual horrors of war, had had its organisation shattered, its manner of life disturbed, and 1 was blind to any profit or advantage it had gained, and saw only its losses and inconvenience. PROHIBITION. “In 1919, after the Covenant of the League of Nations had been published, and in anticipation of the issue of tho mandate, a proclamation was issued prohibiting the further importation of intoxicating liquor, and shortly afterwards total prohibition became a fundamental portion of the constitution. Prohibition was imposed in what was considered to be the best interests of the community, but it was received with great dissatisfaction by a considerable portion of the community other than native. This accentuated a 9tate of mind already existing in tho community of antagonism to administration by Now Zealand, and to any constitution which New Zealand: might set up. “Early in 1920 the garrison was evacuated, -and with it departed those elements of assistance to the administrative Government and to the community generally upon which both had, perhaps unconsciously, learned in some resnents to lean.

“This, then, wa« the state of things when the civil administration was instituted on May Ist. 1920. The task of the new civil administration was to establish a new set of laws, to institute a reasonable and effective Government based on the principle* of the mandate, and to reorganise or to assist in reorganising those aspects of life which bad suffered.”

The Constitution Order-in-Oouncil of 1920. afteiwards passed substantially ns the Constitution Act of Samoa, is brieflv summarised. The powers of the Legislative Council are explained; and the repatriation of the German nationale, together with tho talcing over of their plantation* as the Crown estates is reported on. NATIVE SELF-GOVERNMENT. “There seems (proceeds the report) to be a desire among a certain section of the Samoans, which orobablv is not widespread, for complete self-govern-ment ; but such a course is imnracticnble in the present state of Samoan development and education. The administrative government and the legislative government for tho whole population, both European and Samoan, are rested in the Administrator, acting, in tho case of the legislative government, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council. Tinder the German Administration of Samoa, the natives were trusted with the performance of certain administrative duties, u coutsc which was continued under the Military Administration, and is continued and being extended under tho present Civil Administration, so far ns the capacity of tho native Samoan extends. This is effected by appointment of part-time official*? charged with tho performance ;of various duties, a short statement of which will serve to show the manned in which the native Samoan exercises a share in the government of his own people.” The nedetails then follow.

The organisation of the Native Department and of the Health Department, together with the establishment of a medical station at Tuasivi. on tho Island of Savaii, and the appointment of resident commissioners are reported on. So, too, is the excellent work of the Education Department; and the scheme for setting up. in addition to the first- and .second-grade mission schools, of Government third-grade, or district, schools. Statistics as to the work of the Postal Department and the radio station are given: also vital statistics, which show that iu spite of the

epidemic the population, which in 1902 was 32,815, is now 32,953. The good work done by the Agricultural Department in combating the rhinoceros hectic and other pests is reviewed; also the work of the Public Works Department and tho Justice Department, etc. Tho Customs returns show an increasing revenue, and an increase in tho total trade (cxj>ort3 and imports) from £529,480 in 1915 to £947,740 m 1920. The exports in these two years were, respectively, £262,389 and £386.587; and the imports £267,091 and £561,153. OH INESE LABOUR. “Tlie provision of an adequate supply of efficient labour (states the report) is a vital necessity and a difficult problem. The possible categories of labour are—Samoans, Niue-Islanders, Melanesians (Solomon-lslanders, etc.), and Chinese. . . . The Samoan people do not provide a reliable source of unskilled labour. Their numbers are insufficient to effectively occupy all their lands, foodstuffs are easily grown, no period of cessation of growth necessitate® thrift or provision for the future, and no incentive exists inducing them to work for wages. Tlie proper role of the Samoans is to cultivate their lands and produce copra frpm their own trees; and until the native population increases enormously there will he no surplus of labour available for the requirements of others than themselves. • . .

Dealing with the question of Chinese labour, the report says:—“The Samoan people being manifestly unavailable for labour on the plantations of Europeans, tlie Germans imported both Chinese and Melanesians for the purpose. The Melane'siane have been referred to above. In 1914 there were 2200 Chinese indentured labourers on the various plantations in Samoa. During the military occupation three repatriations caused great deterioration in the plantations, which must be supposed to have required the full number ol‘ 2200 Chinese to carry on to their full production. On April Ist, 1920, the number of Chinese in Samoa was 832. Tlie number of Chinese labourers in Samoa in August, 1920, was—Old labourers 819, “Haldis” labourers. 502; total, 1321.

“About the same time the Chinese Consul, J. C. Lin, was replaced by Consul Ahio, and from that time rearsonable control of the labourers be* came more and more difficult. Realising what the contracts of the 813 old labourer® would expire on July 31st, 1921, and that many of them would desire to remain in Samoa, proposals for a new contract based on the ‘Haldis* contract (which bad been approved by the Hong Kong authorities) were elaborated and submitted to the Consul preparatory to publication to the labourers. The attitude taken by the Administration was that it was liable to repatriate the 819 labourers on July 31st, and would do so, but that it was willing to re-engage such of the labourers as wished to remain and Who were considered desirable of tetention. The reply of the Consul was to the effect that the Chinese Government did not approve the reindenture, and requested the whole of these men should be allowed to remain in Western Samoa as free settlers. No settlement was reached on tlie subject. In the meantime the labourers were the opportunity of re-engaging if they so desired, when practically all expressed a desire to return. It has 6inoe been ascertained that this expression of desire was not a true expression, but was largely the result of the intimidation of secret societies or of other agencies. It is anticipated that from 50 to 100 men will be accepted for retention from those now offering. “Arrangements have been made for the repatriation of the old labourers, and for the introduction of new labourers from Hongkong to replace them. On this repatriation and introduction being effected, it is estimated that there will then be avalable for labour purposes in Samoa (in addition to the 201 black boys above mentioned) tho following Chinese: ‘Haldis* men 502, old labourers retained (sav) 50 ‘Ascot* men (say) 950; total, 1502. “The cost of the importation of Chinese is very considerable, and the cost of repatriation falls almost entirely upon the Administration, on behalf of Grown estates, no system having been adopted in the past for the creation of a repatriation fund. To obviate this in the future, and to recover the eo6t of importation, a periodical levy will be made upon employers, so that, though the expenditure. is primarily made by the Administration, the burden will be carried by the industries employing labour.”