A Big Responsibility.

Samoanische Zeitung, Volume 20, Issue 16, 17 April 1920, Page 8

A Big Responsibility.

ADMINISTERING SAMOA. LEGISLATORS INTERVIEWED. Interviewed by a United Press Association representative, Mr. T. K. Sidey, senior member of the Liberal Party aboard the Mokoia, in giving . his personal, and not the party, view, said there was ample justification for the trip It was an earnest to the League of Nations of New Zealand's desire to understand Samoan conditions, and to faithfully discharge her obligations under the mandate. .He thought it a question whether New s Zealand had acted wisely in taking , over the administration when she was dependent on borrowed money to develop New Zealand's resources. It was clear, from Ministerial utterances, that the islands, to some extent, would be a burden on the New Zealand taxpayer. Referring to indentured labour, he said there was no doubt that the ultimate pro* vision of the 5000 labourers asked for would enormously increase the trade and ensure the islands being self sup-

porting. The£erw€>re not more than sufficient Samc&n*s N today to wotk lands. The consensus of opinion was that Europeans* weieMfapable only of light manual: labour, but, this, he #as unable to give unqualified support to indentured labour. Liberalism,! as one of its cardinal factors, took -inter consideration not only the material aspect, but the human factor. The influx of male Chinese, and the inevitable co-habitation with Samoan women, meant fostering a half bred race whose sympathies would be less witrVjpNew Zealand than were - the purebred Polynesians. He expressed the opinion that every effort should be made to obtaiu the- services of married men, remunerating the wife for light employment. The term of. indenture should be'five years instead of three, to compensate for the additional expense of transport. The indenture-, scheme should be regarded as temporary in character. The problems of the islauds were doubtless bound up with the land question. He was inclined to think they might learn something from Tonga, where the titles were practically individualised. :.The Tongan Constitution prohibited the employment of Chinese manual labour. the Otago Medical School •■ might give special attention to tropical diseases*.. The . -Government was assisting in research work. He favoured the;: repatriation of the Germans now in Samba. He added that an investigation should be made with l a view tq, the adoption of more scientific methods of destroying' the rhinoceros beetle. .

A DIFFICULT-TASK:. The Hon. Sir Walter Carucross said / that, speaking broadly, he regretted that it had fallep to New Zealand to govefn Samoa. However, the die had been' cast, and it was nov every politican's duty x to put party aside and to loyally aid the Government fh its difficult task of administering the islauds. There were many problems which would test the statesmanship of the New Zealand Administration. He was firmly of opinion that there must be indentured ft? jiijd §af; quickly as possible. ""Otherwise Samoa would quickly go back to the v jungle state. Years of labour, and thousands of pounds of capital had been expended in vain. The education problem presented difficulties. Iu a'll the native schools education for? many years had been semireligious. If the religious, education were abandoned and New s Zealand's purely secular system substituted, it shock thft feelings .of the natives * v yet, to give religions teaching inSamoa and a purely secular teaching in New Zea-

land, would be anomalous and would, probably create future difficulties in New. Zealand. This question called for serious consideration. In appointing administrators the greatest tact and judgment was called for. It was absolutely necessary that they must.be men of the Highest moral character if they were to maintain the respect of the natives and uphold the white man's prestige. Referring to Samoa, he said he believed that Mr. Tate had high ideals, and was doing well and endeavouring to administer justice to the white man and . the brown people. The people were easily led in the right paths when once assured of absolute justice, but were a bit suspicious and easily led into wrong paths by designing men. A LABOUR VIEW. Mr. W. A. Veitch, on behalf of Independent Labour, said he was satisfied that, in the administration of New Zealand's island territories, in which almost the entire population were simple, untutored natives, the chief concern should be to take a longdistance, human view of the situation in, determining a policy in respect to the mandate over Samoa.. The danger was that they might magnify the problems of to-day and thus obscure issues, the determination of which might vitally affect the native life ,and liberties for generations. Wholesale importation of Chinese indentured labour had been advocated as the only means of salvation for the big plantations. Whilst recognising, from a purely commercial standpoint, the desirability «of indentured labour, he was convinced that', under the mandate, there devolved" on New Zealand. a fundamental and i graver responsibility of safeguarding the Samoan race. Moreover, the presence of halfbred Chinese-people within Samoa might ultimately add a menace to New Zealand in. the Pacific. New.Zealand's duty in Samoa was to systematically educate the Samoan people, to provide medical and hospital facilities, to assist in the sanitation of the villages, and to encourage the Samoans in the fullest cultivation of their own lands, by the Government taking over the entire output of produce and selling it in the best available markets. Already the natives produced 75 per cent." of the copra exported. Regarding finance, it was primarily important that they should teach the natives to become self-reliant and to develop their own resources. Sufficient taxation was needed to prevent the islands becoming a burden on • the- -New Zealand taxpayer. ; nt, hoped Parliament would not of the proposal to lend money to Samoa free of interest.

Mr. Veitch concluded : "Samoa is a fertile 'country, if properly administered', with shipping, will be able to bear the cost of it s own government and develop. . inent. Mr. H. Holland declined to give an interview. He said that official Labour would not make a statement until he had reported;to the National Council in New Zealand. VALUABLE REPORTS. Sir James Allen said the reports by Mr. Bird (on Education), Mr. Vfckerman (on Public Works), Mr. Gibbs (on Wireless), Mr. McCristell (on Departmental Organisation in Samoa),. Mr. .Black (on Tropical Horticulture), would be of the greatest importance in deciding a policy of external affairs; as also would Mr Marsden's report on the Observatory ' at where most valuable "observations and data were in course of completion, which in the immediate would be likely to add to the world's knowledge in weather fore casting, navigation, wireless transiu-sFion, and the predictr.m of earthquakes. The question of the allocation of cost an,d upkeep must be settled, Undoubtedly, upon the labour supply depended the solutionof the. difficulties in Samoa. Without labour there could be no plantations, no white population, and no revenue, Without revenue it would be impossible to embark on a programme of education, or other undertakings for the benefit of the 'Samoan people. An examination of the sources of _ supply showed that the Chinese were the only labour available for indenture. Three attempts had been made to secure Javanese, but they were unsuccessful. If " free " A static labour was introduced ifwouid soon result in the wiping out of the Samoan race. As far as was known.the Chinese Government had declined to allow wives to accompany indentured men. He thought that limiting the indenture to three years would prove most satisfactory. . _ Questioned as to *he duration of the semi-military nd- - ministration of Samoa, Sir James Allen said it was impossiblei to revert entirely to civil administration until the Imperial Order-in Council, the reference and ?the Mandate had been received The Government had f6o(I; reasons which it would be- unwise to anno un ce for retal ti ing a civil constabulary ; in .Samoa at present. ;■ - * ; Many deep-sea\fish inhabiting the in)penetrable depths of the oceen x ajre phosphorescent, and*are .provided with the most wonderful luminous contrivances*" fe" whifch they are able to /pfoj&ct rays of feeble light iqj front of them for the purpose .of grpping tjbeir way, about -or" capturing prey.