DIFFICULTIES IN SAMOA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18322, 12 August 1921, Page 4

DIFFICULTIES IN SAMOA

The Minister of External Affairs has not allowed time to elapse since his return from Samoa before making an endeavour to clear up some of the allegations against the Government’s administration of the mandated territory, and he has given an undertaking that those charges which now remain unanswered will in due course receive attention. Prior to Mr Lee’s departure for Samoa wo pointed out that the reports regarding the state of public opinion indicated an unsatisfactory position. The Minister’s statement, based on the results of his visit, supplies proof of the existence of unsettlenient and unrest. A comparatively large number of the white population complain that the utter disregard of their past representations excused them from any further personal contact with the representative of the Government, though those requests expressed, they declared, the opinions of those who had had from ten to forty years’ experience of island affairs. The decision to refrain from even meeting the Minister who had made the trip for the express purpose of heading the grievances of the residents, presumably with a desire to remedy them, is serious enough, though also unjustifiable enough, but the charges which these white residents reiterate do call for careful investigation and reply. A clamant demand is made by these residents for “rigid retrenchments and sweeping reductions in expenditure, thus relieving the heavy burden of taxation.” It is asserted that “it requires double the revenue and about two and a-half times the number of Government officials to control a considerably reduced population” than formerly. This assertion is only a little less grave than that which wo reproduced in June last from the Brisbane Daily Mail, in which a correspondent asserted that while Samoa was governed or managed by 44 officials under German rule, the dominion has already 134 officials, “all drawing exaggerated salaries and all drawing allowances,” and, moreover, “all getting individual baths, ■ some of them motor cars and the like.” Mr Lee says that these allegations, including those involving the comparison with the previous German Administration, have no foundation in fact. Nevertheless, he has given instructions for tile preparation of a return showing particulars under both administrations, and this he expects to receive by an early mail. While we do not in the slightest degree desire to discount the Minister’s assurance, it will be generally felt that the examples of wasteful expenditure in the dominion itself somewhat detract from the value of departmental pronouncements. If, however, the promised return is faithfully prepared and it fully bears out Mr Lee’s statement, it should help to allay concern in the dominion and restore confidence in the administration in Samoa itself.

Mr Lee says definitely that “ninetenths of , the criticism has been due to the then National Government in New Zealand, in discharge of its mandat© obligation, prohibiting the sale of alcoholic liquor.” The obligation in the mandat© consists in the prohibition of the supply of intoxicating spirits and beverages to the natives. It does not, therefore, necessarily apply to the white population. The Government believed, however, that absolute prohibition offered the best method for the accomplishment of its mandatory obligation. This decision is deeply resented by the whit© or European residents, but they deny the accuracy of the contention that nineteuths of the adverse criticism is due to the enactment of prohibition. The question of prohibition for the whole population of Samoa is admittedly a vexed one, but any Government which is definitely charged, as the mandatory Power in Samoa is, with the promotion to the utmost of the material and moral well-being and the social progress of the inhabitants of the territory must recognise the possible harm inherent for such peoples in the liquor traffic. The white residents desire the right to use liquor,—under, if need be, some system of control or permit. In the Cook Islands liquor may be imported for the use of whites under restriction, but the use of it by the natives is prohibited. The Government will doubtless reconsider the question, but whatever is done there must be no possibility of liquor reaching the native population. The time is approaching when the mandatory authority must submit its annual report to the Council of the League of Nations, and it is to be hoped that, though the prospects do not appear to be promising, the visit of the Minister will do something to promote a greater measure of confidence in the capacity of the Government to administer Samoan affairs.