Sullen Samoa

But Not Hostile to General Hart Mau Prepares Another Petition

From a Special Correspondent THERE has been little change in political conditions in Samoa Everyone seems to be standing by, waiting for something to happen.

There have been no displays of hos

tility by the Mau towards the new Ad ministrator (Brig.- Gen. H. E. Hart).

According to a Mau pronouncement he “seems affable en ough and shows anxiety to meet the Samoans in a friendly spirit.” . . .

“but his kindly dis position and person ality alone will not bring about better times for poor Samoa.” The Mau, apparently, want to see goodwill gestures translated into defi nite action, and are prepared to wait, patiently, if some what sullenly, for something to be done.

Meanwhile General Hart is wise in not

being hurried. The position so bristles with difficulties, ranging from strait ened finance (the result of the depression) to the sensitiveness and jealousy of officials, that one false step might easily lead to further disturb ances. But it would be equally unwise to allow action to be too long delayed.

The Mau have been very busy pre paring and signing a petition, ad dressed to the three Powers—Britain, America and Germany—who signed the old treaties with Samoa, in 1889, guar anteeing the neutrality, autonomy and independence of Samoa. The petition asks the Powers to come to the aid of Samoa, “because of the inhumane treatment of the Samoans by the N.Z.

Mandatory, and the indifference of the League of Nations to the prayers of Samoa.”

Obviously, nothing tangible is likely to result from the petition, which will only be transmitted automatically to the League of Nations; but it gives the restless Mau something to occupy itself with.

Developments connected with ban anas have somewhat disturbed the nat ives. Formerly, the Samoans disposed of their bananas through either O. F.

Nelson and Co. or the Government. The Government put on a whopping export duty and drove the Nelson firm out of the banana business. Then, when the Samoans brought their fruit to the Government, the latter carried out a very strict inspection, and 1,500 cases of bananas were rejected. Up to this point the proceedings were possibly defensible, but when, instead of hand ing the rejected fruit back to the own ers, as has been done always previously the Government sold it at 6d. per case, to pay the coastal freight, there were loud murmurings. The indignant grow ers made representations to the Ad ministrator; but he went off to the Tokelaus, in the Veronica, before any thing was done—and there the incident ended—except that the Samoans con cerned appear to be still angry.