3

A.—4

The situation on the 31st March, 1920, was that the German law, as varied by tho Proclamation of the Military Administrator, obtained ; the financial situation wag as is referred to under the heading " Finance " ; staff were in numbers and personnel and distribution as referred to under the heading " Staff." MANDATK On the sth July, 1921, the text of the Mandate, as confirmed by the Council of the League of Nations, and gazetted in the New Zealand Gazelle, was received. The effect of this document has been published, and the full, text is being gazetted in the English and the Samoan languages. CONSTITUTION ORDER, 1920. On the Ist May, 1920, the military occupation came to an end, and the Samoa Constitution Order, 1.920, came into force. This Order was an Order in Council made by the Governor-General of New Zealand in Council, under the authority of an Imperial Order in Council entitled " The Western Samoa Order in Council, 1920," made by His Majesty the King in Council pursuant to the Treaty of Peace signed at Versailles on the 28th June, 1919. By Part I of this Order provision is made for the appointment of an Administrator, who is charged with the administration of the executive government of the Territory, and provision is made for the establishment of a Samoan Public Service. As to the legislative government, Part II provides that the Administrator, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Counoil, may make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Territory. The Legislative Council consists of official members and unofficial members appointed by the Governor-General, and its functions and powers are proscribed. The High Court of Western Samoa is established by Part 111, jurisdiction being exorcised by Judges and Commissioners. Other Parts deal with criminal offences and procedure, evidence, &c, and Part IX with land, the land of the Natives being assured to them by the prohibition of the alienation of Native land except by leases, which require to bo approved and signed by the Administrator. Part XIII prohibits tho sale or manufacture in Samoa of intoxicating liquor, or the importation into Samoa of intoxicating liquor. Medical, sacramental, and industrial necessities are provided for by power vested in the Administrator to import and sell under regulations. Other subsidiary Orders in Counoil on various administrative subjects were contemporaneously and subsequently made, as follows: Samoa Customs Order, 1.920; Samoa Post and Telegraph Order, 1920; Samoa Immigration Order, 1920; Samoa Quarantine Order, 1.920; Samoa Land Registration Order, 1920; Samoa Native Land, and Titles Commission Order, 1920; Samoa Maintenance and Affiliation Order, 1920; Samoa Treasury Regulations, 1920; Samoa Public Service Regulations, 1920; Samoa Registration of Europeans Regulations, 1920; Samoa Sale of Intoxicating Liquor Regulations, 1920; Samoa Bank of New Zealand Order, 1920; Rules of the High Court of Western Samoa, 1920 ; Samoan Crown Estates Order, 1920 ; Samoa Health Order, 1921 ; Samoa Public Trust Office Order, .1921 ; and Samoa Board of Trade Order, L92L. Copies of these several Orders and of any Orders amending them have been forwarded to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations. LEGISLATION. An impression exists that the Legislative Council has no power ; but, on the contrary, it is vested with real power, no local legislation being possible without its concurrence. This is an advance on the German system, under which the legislative government was vested in the Governor, who, though he assembled an Advisory Council for consultation and advice, was independent of his Council, which possessed no actual power. The first act of the Legislatives Council was to pass an Ordinance on the Ist May, 1920, effecting the continuance of the existing law so far as it was not repealed or inconsistent with the law brought into force by the Constitution Order. The Council has met on nineteen occasions, and has passed the following Ordinances : — No. I, 1920 : The Existing Local Laws Continuance Ordinance. No. 2, 1920 : The Fees of the High Court Ordinance. No. 3, 1920 : The Bees for Land Registration Ordinance. No. 4, 1920 : The Importation of Fruit from Fiji Prohibition Ordinance. No. 5, 1920 : The Companies Ordinance. No. 6, 1920 : The Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance. No. 7, 1920 : The Importation of Infected Goods Ordinance. No. 8, 1920 : The Arms and Ammunition Ordinance. No. 9, 1920 : The Copra Ordinance. No. 10, 1920 : The Pacific Islands Contract Labourers Ordinance. No. 1, 1921 : The Prevention of Intimidation Ordinance. No. 2, 1921 : The Commission of Inquiry Ordinance. No. 3, 1921 : The Fees and Costs of the High Court Ordinance. No. 4, 1921 : The Land for Quarantine Purposes Ordinance. No. 5, 1921 : The Vacant Titles Ordinance. No. 6, 1921 : The Census Ordinance. No. 7, 1921 : The Beetle Ordinance. No. 8, 1921 : The Hours for Shops Ordinance. No. 9, 1921 : The Beetle Ordinance Amendment Ordinance. No. 10, 1921 : The Time-expired Chinese Labour Ordinance. No. 11, 1921 : The Chinese Contract Labour Control Ordinance. No. 12, 1921 : The Samoan Marriages Ordinance. No. 13, 1921 : The Boat Traffic Ordinance. Copies of these Ordinances have been forwarded to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations.