H.—3lc

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by the refusal of the American authorities at Pago Pago to accept mail-matter from Apia until the vessel carrying it had undergone strict quarantine for five days, by a written order dated 28th November, closed down all wireless communication with Pago Pago, without informing the authorities there that he intended doing so. His excuse for this was that he had only one wireless operator physically capable of doing duty, and he considered the hour and a half during which the lines were open for Pago Pago messages could be better used by this operator for much-needed rest. In his sworn evidence the operator in question declares that he did not complain to any one of overwork, as at that particular time he was working only six hours per day ; that he was astonished to get such an order ; that the closingdown of wireless communication with Pago Pago did not shorten his hours of work ; and, finally, that the average time taken per day for wireless messages between Apia and Pago Pago did not exceed twenty minutes, and not an hour and a half as stated by Colonel Logan in his sworn statement. We are of opinion that Colonel Logan was either not aware of the position at the wireless station, or closed it against Pago Pago in a moment of exasperation. In his evidence the officer in charge of the wireless station of Apia stated, " According to international custom it is quite irregular to close down on any station. There is an obligation to communicate with all stations." We took considerable evidence in connection with the closing of Papauta Samoan Girls' School during the epidemic ; and in fairness to the principal, Miss Moore, and her assistant, Miss Small, we are of the opinion that Colonel Logan acted hastily, and without a full appreciation of the facts. We need not go into this subject, since it is set out in the evidence attached to this report, except to say that when Colonel Logan paid his visit on Sunday morning, the 17th November last, Miss Moore was out of bed for the first time, after an attack of influenza. At that particular moment seventy out of the 104 girls were down with the disease, and thirty were convalescent and were walking about the paddock in front of the house. Colonel Logan evidently mistook these convalescents for fit persons who should have been assisting and not loafing, as he thought, at school. Colonel Logan's statement that Miss Moore and Miss Small did nothing to assist in Samoa's hour of trouble is not, in our opinion, correct. We think they did everything they were humanly capable of doing in looking after the wants of villagers near the school, nursing, feeding, and burying their own pupils and plantation boys. It is noteworthy that only one girl out of the 104 residing at the school escaped the epidemic. Turning to the Medical Department, we are of opinion that there was a certain amount of confusion and lack of administrative ability shown during the ep demic. To some extent this was excusable. A calamity had descended upon the island, bewildering in its suddenness and awful in its consequences. The Principal Medical Officer and the doctors under him individually did splendid work, and no praise is too high to mark their devotion and self-sacrifice ; one of them, Captain Atkinson, carried on his work with a temperature above normah Nevertheless, we think there was little co-ordination in the work. Civilians, for example, were not encouraged to assist as they should have been. One particular band of lady workers, exhausted by walking miles daily carrying food from house to house to the Natives, attempted to open an auxiliary hospital in the Market Hall. General Skerman, who, however, at first encouraged the idea, next day condemned it, and the Natives who had been gathered together were sent back to their homes, his explanation being that, as there was plenty of room at the General Hospital, the opening of an auxiliary hospital would cause overlapping. The ladies' object, however, was to get as many as possible brought together into one place, so that the work of nursing and feeding, which they themselves were attending to, might be concentrated and lightened. In many cases Natives refused to go to the General Hospital. During our inquiry we visited Savaii and took evidence in many Native villages Much dissatisfaction was expressed by witnesses at the conduct of Dr. James, the medical officer stationed at Tuasivi. According to these witnesses Dr. James never once visited any Native patent either in his own village or those within easy walking distance, but contented himself with staying at home and handing out medicines to any one who called. In his evidence Dr. James declared he understood that was all he was expected to do ; that he had received no instructions either written or verba 1 from the Principal Medical Officer when he took up his duties in Savaii, beyond being informed that every three months he was expected to make a journey round the