THE SAMOAN TRIP.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 12019, 9 March 1920, Page 5

THE SAMOAN TRIP.

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Apia, March 6 On Saturday morning the party toured the State and various mission schools. The result ef the missionaries’ efforts is tnat all the Samoans read and write their own language, and English is now generally taught. . . , ' Native chiefs were entertained at luncheon on the Mokoia. In the afternoon members visited Yailima and Stevenson’s tomb, the wireless station and the geographical observatory where the visiting scientists were delighted with the scope and value of the work undertaken. Today, which is the Samoan Saturday, members motored to plantations, visiting an estate where there is a fairly plentiful supply of labour, and later a property on which, before the war, dihore were 294 indentured labourers and now only twelve. The former employs fortyone Chinese and seven Samoan women. The Chinamen weed and prune cocoa trees and pick pods. Their pay is about £2 10a per month.'’ The women break the pods and remove the seeds prior to the tirocess of driyng. They receive three shillings per day. The party inspected the workers’ quarters and, through an interpreter, closely questioned indentured men. The Chinese are not permitted, so far, to bring wives from China. Some have Samoan wives. The second plantation was a wilderness choked with tropical undergrowth. The homestead was dismantled. The few remaining indentured men pick cocoa pods where the trees have survived, while rubber is practically untapped. Planters state that the solution is more labour. They estimate that 1000 additional indentured workers are needed immediately. In the afternoon the Samoans gave, a feast. There were gorgeous supplies of taro, plantains, figs, poultry and fish. Members partook of th 6 feast in native fashion. There was a great display of tribal dancing. European residents were entertained on the Mokoia in the evening at a ball.

We take a cargo of sugar on board at Suva and will probably reach Auckland on the 22nd. The weather is hot, but all are well.