The Daily News WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 3, 1930. WESTERN SAMOA.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1930, Page 6

The Daily News WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 3, 1930. WESTERN SAMOA.

While it is generally inadvisable to place reliance upon statements made concerning the state of affairs in Western Samoa—or any other country where trouble exists—by any person whose identity is not disclosed, such statements can be compared with the facts obtained from official sources, and a reasonable inference drawn as to what is likely to be taking place. According to the New Zealand Herald, a recent arrival at Auckland from the mandated territory of Samoa states that the Mau organisation is now offering no resistance of any kind to lawful authority/ At the same time it is stated that the Mau chiefs have not, responded to the request of the Administrator to meet him in conference.The obvious deduction is that active resistance has given place to a passive attitude", which still keeps the organisation alive by secret meetings of the Mau leaders. It is significant that the rer cent arrival is reported as having stated that “whatever life remains in the Mau movement is derived from the inspiration of propaganda from New Zealand that arrives by every mail.” From what is already known of the traitors in the Dominion camp there is no reason to doubt the truth of this allegation, and it is

a serious reflection upon the ability of the New Zealand Government to faithfully administer the mandate when it fails to deal with a menace of this nature in the only manner whereby it can and. should be stamped out, by exemplary punishment of the offenders" without fear or favour. The honour of New Zealand is involved and should be upheld before the world in no uncertain manner. It should not be beyond the power of the detectives in the Dominion and Samoa to draw the culprits into their nets. The rest will devolve upon the Government, and will doubtless furnish an acid test of its courage z and wisdom. The Mau is- not dead, but is keeping live the embers of its grievances, ready to be fanned into a.flame at "any time by trouble-makers at a distance. Prevention is far and away better than cure. The mere fact that the police in the territory are still armed, and maintain jjosts throughout the country, indicates that the authorities are not disposed to run foolish risks in trusting to an apparent change of attitude on the part of the Mau, or to the signs of decay in the women’s movement. The one outstanding change for the better is the great interest that is-.being manifested in the cultivation of bananas. It is said that plantations are being established everywhere. No greater factor in reforming the discontented natives can be envisaged than the provision of employment of a kind to make them prosperous and engender the feeling of having an important stake in the country. Apparently all the natives require to make this industry .'a success is the necessary wood for cases together with a regular steamer service to ensure marketing facilities. It can be easily understood that since the Tofua has successfully transported bananas from Samoa to New Zealand the trade has developed at a great rate, and is now more important to 'the natives than copra cutting, owing to the serious decline in the prices obtained fox' the latter. There is always a good demand at a payable price for bananas in good condition. The creation of a new industry that strongly appeals to the natives has immense possibilities for the future .of Samoa, especially in the direction of eli-‘ minating the grievances that were all too prominent where copra was concerned. The Samoan native.differs little from others of a similai’ type. He knows how to respect the dominant authority that makes its presence and actions worthy of respect. He does not, however, understand modern political exigencies and contradictions. When he learns how to distinguish friends from schemers, and loyalty from traitorship he will have moved to a higher plane in citizenship. According to the manner in which he is taught, so will be the period of time necessary fox’ the lessons to beax* fruit: Above all, he must be satisfied that law and order are not meaningless, but necessary adjuncts of his safety, happiness and prosperity.

COMMONSENSE TRIUMPHS. Once more the coal miners in the South Island have staged one of those little happenings that would be pure comedy were the consequences to the industry less eeriouts. In order to increase output and make available supplies of coal suitable for railway purposes the management of the Stockton mine decided to increase the number of workers in certain operations. To this the Miners.’ Union took exception, and a hold-up at the mine seemed likely. After some consideration the parties agreed to refer the matter to an independent umpire and to accept his •"finding. He had the temerity, from the union’s point of view, to support the management, and advised the parties to the dispute to get together and avoid further friction, pointniir out that great efforts were being made to retain all the coal trade of the Dominion for New Zealand mines, and if this were to be possible continuity of supplies was very essential, lhe wiath of the has been manifested in abuse of the umpire, not, ostensibly, because of his decision, but because he put it in the form of a recommendation instead of a direct finding. The childishness of the union is pathetic, but as it has decided to accept the conditions laid down by the management the main object of the inquiry has been achieved. In accepting the position the union snarls at the management for its alleged departure from a formei agreement, a frame of mind that does not augur well for the closer co-operation between employers and employees urged by the independent umpire. Still, to have an adverse decision accepted is something, and it is to be hoped the Miners’ Union will remember that the endeavour to make the Dominion selfcontained in regard to coal supplies will depend for success upon the absence of industrial troubles arid foolish stoppages of work.