A.—4

11. Twenty-first Session. (Minutes of, Document C. 830, M. 411, 1931, VI.) Anthropological Research, (pages 149 and 215). —As explained by the Accredited Representative of New Zealand in his letter of the 25th November, 1931 (at page 220 of the Minutes), the New Zealand Government have not appointed an anthropologist specially to make investigations in Western Samoa, but the Territory has not been neglected in this direction. It has had visits from several experts of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum of Honolulu, in particular by Dr. P. H. Buck (Te Rangi Hiroa), and copies of his work " Samoan Material Culture " are being forwarded to the Secretariat of the League for the information of members of the Permanent Mandates Commission. The scope of this volume is confined very rigidly to the subject forming its title, but attention is specially directed to Dr. Buck's introductory remarks which are of interest, coming as they do from one who is himself of Polynesian descent. During 1931-32, Dr. Erling Christophersen, botanist, and Mr. G. McGregor, physical anthropologist, both of the Bishop Museum, carried out researches in Western Samoa over periods of six months and seven weeks respectively. The New Zealand Government have obtained also a translation into English of " Die SamoaInseln. Entwurf einer Monographie mit besonderer Beriicksichtigung Deutsch-Samoas," by Dr. Augustin Kramer (E. Schweizerbartsche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, 1901). It is hoped to print this work when finance permits, and in the meantime it is available to officers of the Samoan Public Service in manuscript. In it the customs and culture of the Samoan race are dealt with so exhaustively as to leave almost no ground unexplored. Copra (page 150). —Facilities for shipments of native copra and payments of advances thereon by the Administration were discontinued in 1929, owing to lack of support by the natives. At the present time the difference between market values and prices paid to native producers is not as great as it was when the Administration took this matter up in 1927. Judicial Organization (page 150). —The Native Judges (Fa'amasino) became ineffective through non-co-operation in 1927 and 1928. They have not yet been reinstated. Judicial Statistics (page 150). —The Administration will be happy to carry out M. Ruppel's suggestion, and in the present report the statistics are shown together at page 9. For a comparison between the fifteen-month period from 1929 to 1930, and the twelve-month period 1930-31, the following should be taken into consideration :—

The greater number of offences in 1930-31 is consistent with resumption of operation of the law. Legislation (pages 151 and 215). —In 1928 the New Zealand Government forwarded to the Secretariat of the League of Nations for members of the Permanent Mandates Commission complete sets of bound and indexed volumes of legislative measures affecting Western Samoa. In subsequent years all such documents have been reprinted as appendices to the annual reports, with the exception of the report for 1930-31 ; in this instance (as in the present) the need for economy precluded an annual reprinting of legislative measures, but copies of all documents were forwarded to members of the Commission both at times of issue and again at the end of the year under review. Labour (page 151). —Mention is made of the employment of Samoans in the report of the Labour Department at page 14. Missions (pages 152 and 215). —There are five missions operating in the Territory—the London Missionary Society, which has the largest number of adherents (approximately 65 per cent, of the population), the Roman Catholic (15 per cent.), the Methodist (15 per cent.), the Latter Day Saints and the Seventh Day Adventists (5 per cent.) —and the religious care and instruction of the Samoans is capably and thoroughly administered. Information concerning the educational activities of the missions is given in the report of the Education Department at page 7. Liquor Traffic (pages 192 and 211). —The Administration have noted the plan of information prepared by the Permanent Mandates Commission, and have adopted it in the information given on page 22.

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Offences reported. 1929-30 1930-31 1931-32 (Fifteen Months). (Twelve Months). (Twelve Months). Contempt of Court (including non-payment of taxes) 144 425 86 Maintenance of Authority in Native Affairs Ordinance 101 286 62 Seditious Organizations Regulations, 1930 .. | 340 44 4 J