A SAMOAN PROBLEM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19098, 20 August 1936, Page 6

A SAMOAN PROBLEM

MIXTURE OF RACES WORK FOR IIA.LF-CASTES NOT ENOUGH AVAILABLE (Written by the Press Association representative with the New Zealand Mission to Samoa.) Kccsing and other writers feature the problem of the community of mixed European and Samoan descent which has sprung up, chiefly about Apia, so that perhaps an impression is created that, in the near future they may be comparable in numbers with full Samoans, as has already _ taken place among our Maoris. The figures, however, show that in Western Samoa there are approximately 590 pure Europeans. 2447 half-castes, and 51,000 Samoans.

The problem of those that are of mixed parentage is principally, if not entirelv, an economic one. The local llaw on the subject, somewhat peculiar 'in the Pacific, holds that all legitimate issue of European fathers are Europeans in law ad infinitum, so that a person who is 15/I6th Samoan may be still a European. The Samoan himself lias no cares about earning a livelihood, for every native family is endowed with land which produces* the commodities of life in abundance. Legally, in Samoa one is either a European or a Samoan, so that this community of mixed descent lias grown up owning little or no land and with the consequent need ot European employment. As a general rule, they are disinclined to undertake plantation labour for others, and seek to find their livelihood as artisans, clerks and traders. With the coming of education they find increasing numbers of Samoans entering into competition with them in these pursuits. SAMOAN IN OUTLOOK To have an appreciation of this section of the community it should be realised that already a large proportion of them, perhaps one-third, are completely Samoan in their langlage, thoughts and environment. Two years ago the law was amended, with the approval of all concerned, to allow any such people to whom life as Samoans would be more attractive, to obtain Samoan status, and some have done so. Still larger numbers are living on Samoan land and entirely ns Samoans, because the policy of the Administration is not to disturb them or to insist that they legally acquire Samoan status, and so they remain absorbed in the family life of their Samoan relatives.

The problem, however, is with regard to those who seek to follow European standards of life. The employment available is not nearly enough to go round, and, naturally, under these conditions the remuneration paid is not high. Education in Samoa is available only up to the New Zealand proficiency standard, so there are not many who are able t,o compete for the better paid positions to which Europeans from overseas are appointed. LAND SETTLEMENT

The banana, trade with New Zealand offers some amelioration to these people. Employment being unavailable, the only alternative is for them to take -up land, but prior to the -establishment of the banana industry the principal forms of local agriculture were the growing of cocoa and coconuts, which needed considerable capital either to fide them over the many years before new plantings first came into bearing, or to acquire properties already in production. Bananas, however, crop within a year, and monlbly shipments ensure regular returns, even if they are small. To this end, a scheme lias been promoted to encourage land settlement by local youths, and areas have been selected. There is some doubt , however, whether this section of the population will he completely catered for by land settlement, because most of them have a strong preference for more sedentary employment. That is for the present. There are indications that in the future successive generations in the majority of cases will become more predominantly Samoan, so that there will be a fusion with the Samoans and the real benefits of native life, while a much smaller percentage will retain European standards.