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requesting the High Commissioner to set up a Commission of Inquiry to examine the question of local government throughout Western Samoa. This motion (see Appendix IV) was well received by the Assembly, and as a result the High Commissioner decided duly to set up this Commission, the terms of reference for which will be found in Appendix XIII. The work of the Commission will be exacting and time-consuming, and will continue through most of 1950, but the Commission has the opportunity of doing work and producing a report which may well be a landmark in Samoan progress. It had been the intention of the Government of Western Samoa that this Commission should inquire into the question of a municipality for Apia. During the debate in the Legislative Assembly, it appeared that many members were reluctant to have the matter inquired into either at this time or in conjunction with the general problem of district and village government, opposition being expressed both by Samoan members representing outer districts and by European elected members representing, in a sense, Apia itself. Consequently the reference to Apia was dropped from the original motion, and the Samoan Government has now under consideration other methods of dealing with this problem, which has an importance of its own. The Western Samoan Public Service As a further step in augmenting the policy of the Administering Authority announced on the 27th August, 1947, which was supported by the report of the visiting Mission from the Trusteeship Council in that year, a separate Western Samoan Public Service has now been established. On 21st October, 1949, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Samoa Amendment Act, 1949, which comes into force on the Ist April, 1950. This Act establishes a Western Samoan Public Service under the control of a Public Service Commissioner of Western Samoa, who is to be appointed by the Governor-General of New Zealand. He is to be assisted in the discharge of his duties by two Assistant Public Service Commissioners, one of whom is to be the Secretary of Island Territories or his deputy, and the other is to be appointed by the Governor-General on the nomination of the Council of State. The Act contains the usual provisions necessary for the control of a Public Service, and gives to the Public Service Commissioner power, with the approval of the Minister of Island Territories, to make regulations for the conduct of the Service. In matters which, in the opinion of the Minister, affect the policy of the Administering Authority the Public Service Commissioner is subject to any direction which he may from time to time receive from the Minister. The Act also provides that the Public Service Commissioner shall, " consonant with the efficient conduct of the Government Service of Western Samoa, have regard to the obligation of the Administering Authority under the Trusteeship Agreement to assure to the inhabitants of Western Samoa a progressively increasing share in the administrative and other services of the Territory." The Public Service Commissioner, on or before the first day of the financial year next following the commencement of the Act —i.e., on or before Ist January, 1951—is to grade, and thereafter at intervals of not more than three years, regrade, all permanent positions in the Western Samoan Public Service and assign to them a fixed salary or scale of salaries. There are also provisions relating to the reciprocity with the New Zealand Public Service, permanent and temporary appointments, appeals against gradings, and for enforcement of discipline. The Act provides that" any employee or any person desirous of becoming an employee who, directly or indirectly, solicits any member of the Council of State, the Legislative Assembly, or the Fono of Faipule, with a view to obtaining promotion in or appointment to the Western Samoan Public Service shall be deemed unfit for the promotion or appointment."

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