Position Improved

Chinese Problem In

Samoa

From Our Own Correspondent APIA, November 20.

THE letter from an official in Samoa recently published in this journal, defending the New Zealand Administration against the charge that it is responsible for the social penetration of Samoa by Chinese, has been read here with much interest.

But the letter, as you have very properlv pointed out, evades the main issue.

Nobody, of course, denies that the number of Chinese coolies in Samoa has been considerably reduced under New Zealand’s administration; but the lax handling of the existing regulations has permitted the cohabitation of coolies with Samoan women and brought about the large Chinese half-caste problem.

The writer of the letter said that the stabbing affray did not occur in a gambling den, but on the road. He, however, forgot to mention that the trouble among the coolies was caused by their differences after gambling the whole of the preceding night at a Chinese trader’s house.

I wish to stress the point that since the departure of the S.S. Apoey matters in regard to Chinese gambling and association with Samoan women have much improved, as many of the worst offenders were repatriated. The Administration has, furthermore, published new regulations, prohibiting Samoan women altogether from entering buildings occupied by Chinese coolie labour. The newly-imported coolies are very intent on saving their wages, or sending their money back to China, and this will put another effective stop to miscegenation. ... ===