SAMOA’S DEVELOPMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19702, 1 February 1926, Page 6

SAMOA’S DEVELOPMENT.

trade with new ZEALAND. HELP FOR THE NATIVES. SIR GEORGE RICHARD SON’S AMBITION. CFbom Ode Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, January 30. General Sir George Richardson, Administrator of Samoa, left Auckland this morning by the Tofua. Daring the two months he* was in New Zealand, Sir George devoted most of his time to dealing with matters concerning the welfare of the man* dated territory ot which he is m charge. Interviewed just be>fore he left, Sir George said "that he’ was well satisfied with the results of hi 9 visit, and the fact that he had been able to meet personally, and discuss Samoan affairs with Sir Francos Beil, Minister of External Affairs, had enabled to be satisfactorily and quickly settled many matter; which otherwise would have involved much correspondence, and perhaps delay. He was very optimistic regarding the future of Samoa, and expressed the opinion that the recent storm would not affect seriously the commercial progress of the territory, but that it would mean morelv a temporary check for a few months —tropical islands had their bad seasons aa well as New Zealand, he remarked. . “There are three chief ways of improving the trade and commerce of Samoa,” said Sir George. The first is by enlarging' New Zealand Estates—that is, by clearing the bush and planting new areas; the second is by increased activity on the part of the native to develop their Lands and cultivate other exports besides copra—namely cotton and fruit; and the third, and most important wav; is by establishing the fruit trade with New Zealand, such trade being impossible at the present time owing to the distance between Samoa and the Dominion being too great to permit of fruit being landed in good condition unless it is carried in apecially-fitted carrying’ ships which are not now available, I am very’ pleased to note increasing interest shown by the people of New Zealand m Samoan affairs,” continued Sir George, “and this, I say, is to the sympathetic press, which nas been the means of reminding New Zealander* that they are the guardians of the Samoan race and as such have a responsible part to play, as they had in the past, and still have, for the Maoris. I leave New Zealand with confidence, knowing that tile Government and the people aro supporting me to the utmost to represent them ir: Samoa. I am going back to initiate schemes which have been approved by the Government for enlarging and improving the New Zealand estates, and which I hope will be the means of making Samoa financially independent of the Dominion in a few years. I also believe that the natives will continue to progress and will trv, subject to occasional bad seasons to exec: their excellent record of production for the past year, for they are now beginning to realise that work bring* its reward.” . ~ But, said Sir George, ho was not awe to go back to Samoa and say to the natives what he would like to say to them—namely, “If vou will use your waste lands to cultivate' large uantities of splendid bananas which you now grow for your own use, and ahvlso pineapples and other fruits and vegetables for export,,,we will send them to the New Zealand people who want to help you and who will buy them. This will bring you, more money and enable you to improve your villages' and your water supplies, and to purchase many things beneficial to your true development.” Sir George- asserted that the need for proper carrying ships to carry on the fruit trade with the Dominion was a vital necessity for the progress of the territory and it was a matter that would have to be dealt with very soon. “It will ba a happy day,” concluded the General, “on which I can tell the Samoan people that the long hopedfor ship is coming. I shall also be pleased to see this means of giving New Zealand its fair share of the £700,000, which repsesents the annual trade in Samoa, and which it does not receive at praaan*,’’