SAMOA

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 8 March 1921, Page 5

SAMOA

A FUTURE “GOLD MINE.” VIEWS OF PROFESSOR MARSDEN. WELLINGTON, March 1. “Solar energy is being poured into the island at a rate far greater than it comes to New Zealaxid, and it is our business to get it out and use it. The island will be a gold min© in time. It will be slow in developing to that stage, but the Government is going in the right direction to get it there. They are encouraging public works and seeing to the sanitary conditions and medical arrangements, which are not too good at the . moment, but are on the way to improvement. There is a _ state of transition now. There is a slump in oopra, _ and chaos was caused by the expulsion of the experienced German planters, whose successors are now gaining experience. rapidly. As soon as that period is over things will go smoothly in Samoa. Mistakes have been made —and bad ones, —but they have been due to inexperience, and there are. hopeful signs. At the moment the main thing is to give the native an incentive to work, and to encourage him by good conditions and sympathetic understanding.” These are the views of Professor E.. Marsden, of Victoria College, who has just returned from a three months’ visit to British Samoa. Speaking to a Post reporter, he added that he was impressed with the work of the Administrator (Colonel Tate), who was going the right way to get the natives to work. Dr Ritchie was also doing excellent work in connection -with public health. Professor Marsel on said that at first he was inclined to sympathise with those, who were opposed to the prohibition of liquor in the islands, but after further experience he was convinced that it was a step in the right direction. It was in the interests both of the natives and of the young Europeans who, had to live there. Several of the planters also agreed that prohibition was the right thing for those islands. There is an excellent water supply, and eventually electric Jjght and hydro-electric power will work a transformation in Apia, and perhaps even in, the native villages. The fate of the geophysio-d observatory seems to be held in abeyance. Professor Marsden has left Mr C. Westland in charge of it in the meantime, and has. himself brought back valuable data which will throw considerable light on the geophysical problems of the Pacific.