LIFE IN SAMOA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22353, 29 August 1934, Page 6

LIFE IN SAMOA

NO EVIDENCE OF POVERTY THE BENEVOLENCE OF NATURE (From Gob Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, August 28. “The social system of the Samoan people is such that poverty cannot exist,” states the annual report on the mandate! territory of Western Samoa tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. The report adds that the Samoanh have nor been affected by the economic depression to the same extent as European communities, although the unprecedentedly low prices for their main product, copra, have resulted in their relying more on locally grown foodstuffs than formerly. All the families (or “clans”) are well endowed with land, and as the soil is very fertile they have little difficulty in growing all the food supplies required. Their wants in the way of clothing are few, and although the lavalava, or loin cloth, is now of European material it is for all general purposes the only clothing worn by adult men and children in ordinary village life, an additional upper garment usually being worn by the women. The Samoans are conservative in the matter of housing, states the report, in that they have shown no tendency to adopt European ideas of design and construction, as has been done by other peoples of the Pacific having the same commercial contacts. This is due no doubt to the fact that the Samoan native houses are of a particularly good design, being large, well ventilated, and cool. The economic aspect has played a part in postponing the change. As all the materials for a Samoan dwelling are grown by the people on their own land the native people are well and suitably housed and it is in their interests that there should be no change.

The. report states that the lack of ready cash has seen the demand for European goods such as tinned meats, tea, sugar, rice, kerosene, soap, etc., dwindle until it has almost disappeared in most districts and it is hardly to be expected that there will be a revival for a considerable time. The production of food supplies is well attended to and the cultivation and planting of new areas for future supplies are kept up to date. • The people generally show no particular keenness in seeking employment outside their own style of living, although during the last two years there has been more evidence of a desire to add to their incomes in this manner. The engagement by Samoans in regular employment for wages is quite extraneous to the style of living of the bulk of the native population, and as the economic conditions leave the people completely free from the need for such employment there is no codification of conditions. Plantation work when availed of is usually arranged by contract. The work is not over-arduous and the total number of Samoans so employed at any one time probably does not exceed 400. These conditions apply to the reparation estates equally with other plantations, but there is no economic compulsion on the native Samoans to accept them.