HANDLING OF BANANAS AT SAMOA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 3, 5 January 1939, Page 7

HANDLING OF BANANAS AT SAMOA

COMPLAINTS UNJUSTIFIED RESULT OF DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRY APIA, Jan. 4. The decision of the inquiry held by the External Affairs Department of New Zealand into complaints made by Samoan growers regarding the handling of bananas at Samoa has been received by the Acting-Adminis-trator from Wellington as follows: “The complaints are unjustified and time and money have been wasted and serve no purpose at all. The banana scheme is entirely for the benefit of the Samoans and not New Zealand, and is very well run indeed. “We have every confidence in Mr. H. S. Newton and other officers in Samoa. The Samoans have benefited by the scheme because of the high price New Zealand is willing to pay for bananas to help them. The Samoans must help and not hinder the scheme if they want it to continue. “If they think the scheme is for the benefit of New Zealand and not Samoa, or for any reason are not satisfied, let them say so. If they do not want the banana scheme, or such complaints continue, we will arrange to stop the scheme at once and New Zealand will buy bananas elsewhere and the Maui Pomare will be used for other purposes.” The inquiry held by the External Affairs Department into the handling of Samoan bananas was instituted because of complaints received from Samoan growers. These claimed that favouritism was being shown to certain growers and alleged that Mr. Newton was favouring the anti-Mau growers. The whole position was investigated and the complaints were found to be without any foundation.