WESTERN SAMOA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20965, 3 March 1930, Page 8

WESTERN SAMOA

MR J. G. COBBE’S MISSION. VISIT TO STATE SCHOOL. TYPICAL NATIVE WELCOME. THE MINISTER IMPRESSED. {Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND,. March 1. The special correspondent writing at sea on the Maui Pomare on February 18 Bays: — After a somewhat uncomfortable voyage of six days in the motor vessel Maui Pomare, which maintained her celebrated corkscrew roll over the lumpy sea raised by the north-west wind, Mr J. G. Cobbe and Mrs Cobbe landed at Niue on the evening of Sunday, February 16, according to the local calendar, which is one day behind that of New Zealand, the travellers having had a week in which there were two Wednesdays. It was a perfect evening, as the ship proceeded across the long lazy Pacific swell which, during the last few hours, had lost what the Niue Islanders might call its aitu (the evil spirit). In a strictly comparative sense the landing was easy, and Mr and Mrs Cobbe spent the night at the residence of the commissioner as the guests of the assistant commissioner. Mr Box, who, in the absence of his chief, Captain Luckham, in New Zealand, was in charge. Next day Mr Cobbe' visited the Alofi School, the largest of the two schools of the Administration, where Sir Hamilton has a staff of native teachers. The Minister presented prizes to all the children. STATE AND MISSION SCHOOLS. that the population is only 3750 the island is very well served educationally, lor in addition to two State schools, which have a total roll of about 250, there'sxe 10 schools run by the London Missionary Society. It is to the credit of the .mission that the attendance or the children at the mission schools satisfied the requirements of the Administration. The .children may attend whatever school is nearest. At the State schools the children are taught in their own language up to the first standard, . after which both languages are used in ' varying proportions. The mission schools, which nandlfe about 500 children, do not introduce English, and as in the State ■institutions devote considerable attention to handicrafts. The work at Alofi School, a structure of plaster and concrete with a concrete floor, is ideally designed for hot weather, and but for the fact that there is no ceiling to turn the heat refleeted from the lofty roof of galvanised iron, was a revelation. Apart from the splendid bag and basket making by the older children their progress in the three E’s, particularly writing, was remarkable. The average standard of writing was quite as gpod as in any large New Zealand sixth standard, and some specimens would put the best New Zealand child on his defence. The Niue people have a marked sense of time and drill, and the marching evolutions carried out in the wide grassy playground which occupies part of a point from which one of the most perfect views imaginable is secured through a fringe of coconut palms, were excellent. The girls played a game of basket ball, and some of the boys' boxed vigorously, after the fashion of those who believe that attack is the best form of defence. But most interesting of all was an old native game in which a ring of singing children moves round a group which imitates the actions of birds fishing on a reef. They hop on one leg round and- round a stick placed upright in the ground, and endeavour to • pick it up with their teeth* aud hop away with it’ before the next competitor can hop i_to position to contend for it. Apart from the realistic impression given of the birds, it was a significant illustration of the sense of fair play in the little people whose fathers and mothers had played it before them* for countless generations. In no case was there any jostling. Each tried for the stick when the chance was presented, but if he missed he cheerfully hopped away again. A nice sense of sportsmanship is indicated by the manner in which the game was played. HEALTHY, HAPPY CHILDREN. In school there was a welcome song by the whole body of children and several action songs by a party of white-clad girls who wore garlands of sweet-scented greenery that were slightly reminiscent of the Maori poi. The songs came pleasantly to the ear. but the Niue people ‘ pay more regard to volume than to the finer harmonies of some of jthe other Island races. Most of the boys followed the youthful European fashion in respect to hair, but here and there was seen a closely-cropped head, in the centre of which the thinnest pigtail sprouted. This is the result of an old custom for which no European can account, and a boy chosen for the honour—a purely parental matter, apparently—is in due course given a feast when the pigtail, which represents the full growth from babyhood, is cut oft and the whole head shaved. Thereafter he follows the custom. All the visitors echoed the feeling of the Minister when he told the children of his pleasure in the whole function, and his delight in their radiant health and obvious happiness. Later in the day Mr and Mrs Cobbe .visited the hospital,Vhich is of perfect design for the climate. The medical authority is Mr Dean Young, a New Zealander, who does his country credit in this lonely outpost. The of Samoa and New Zealand. She has no European assistance. All her nurses and probationers are native girls who go about the institution in bate ieet. Some of the patients, who were not confined to bed, lounged around in spectacular costumes, consisting of copper Brown skin and red lava lavas. Tuberculosis and filarial infections (elephantiasis) are the chief diseases of the island where, until some y4ars ago, the population was on the decline, but now that trend has been arrested and an increase has begun. Un-. fortunately the Niue Islander is very ready to attribute ill-health to Aitu, or the evil spirit, a fact which sometimes complicates the health measures. Injection treatment has greatly reduced the incidence of yaws.

THE MAU FUGITIVES. HIDING IN THE HILLS. STRATEGIC POINTS GUARDED. ADMINISTRATOR’S DIFFICULT TASK. (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, March 1. The special correspondent, writing from Samoa on February 20, says:— _ Mr J. G. Cobbe and Mrs Cobbe arrived by the Maui Pomare yesterday morning and have taken up their residence at Vailima as the guests of the Administrator, Mr S. S. Allen. The fact that Mr Cobbe holds the portfolio of Defence has no bearing upon his mission, which is to confer with the Administrator as the representative of Cabinet and acquaint him pt its views. In common with the officials, Mr Cobbe is busy with correspondence to be despatched by the Maui Pomare this evening, but yesterday he had an opportunity of seeing the Administrator in conference with a number of chiefs over the matter of some boating trouble, and later had the satisfaction of yeeing a Man chief call upon the Administrator to express his regret at having been associated with the movement. His apology was accepted and he was given permission to return with his family to his own village in Savaii. Although the presence of H.M.S. Dunedin in the roadstead on this occasion strikes a grim note for the arrivals by the Maui Pomare, there is nothing in the languid atmosphere of the town to suggest that the Man fugitives are in the bills and that the naval and military forces are doing their best to secure them. Those whose experience of Samoa dates hack some years, however, say that there is hostility in the silence of the natives, “We used to be invited to the native homes and honoured with kava ceremonies," said a member of the crew of the steamer. “ but not now. The tone lias completely changed.” It is not until one drives out a few miles and comes to the military and naval guards Rt tlld

bridges and other strategic points that one realises that rifle and bayonet have been called to support law and order, iho guards stop all cars and satisfy themselves that travellers are on lawful occasions and that the cars do not carry food supplies. This course is also taken with boats bound for coastal villages. They must go alongside the cruiser for inspection. In Vaimoso,. Tatnasese’s village, there is a very noticeable shortage of men. They are in the hills, hut the women and children appear to lack nothing. The cultivations and coconut palms provide tilGlll with, fod, A great proportion of youths and adult males was seen in Apia, the native village, where life sterns to go on under ordinary routine. Towards evening numbers of men were seen coming down the road from the cultivations in the bush with baskets of taro and the bke, and one party carried a huge eel that had been caught in a stream. It was all very peaceful and home-like, and the laughter of the children at play came through the palms. 1 ROUNDING UP THE MAU. SEVERAL ARRESTS EFFECTED. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 1. 1 assengers by the Maui Pomare, which arrived from the Islands this morning, state that Apia was quiet and business practically at a standstill. Every day within the last '.fortnight the naval men had continued their operations with some success, and had taken a number of prisoners.- It is stated that the naval forces had got the main body of the Mau c 2 t? i ce, itral and western half i . There are believed to be at leas„ 3000 m the main body. During one week 100 Mau were arrested. THE MILITARY POLICE. LABOUR’S OPPOSITION. TRANSPORT VESSEL TO BE DECLARED “ BLACK.” , (Special to Daily Times.; ', WELLINGTON, March i. the Executive Council of the New Zealand Seamen’s Union has decided to da- °[ are black ” any vessel used to convey the Samoan military police force to Samoa. The general secretary of the union (Mr F. P. Walsh) stated to-day that members of the union will refuse to man any vessel to transport the force, the council of the union has passed a resolution emphatically protesting against the proposal to despatch a force of what is described as "armed Black and Tans” tor .the purpose of “ terrorising by force of arms the natives of Western Samoa,” and calling upon the Parliamentary Labour Party to use every endeavour to prevent the force being sent to Samoa.