Chinese and Samoan

Women New Ordinance Passed

From Our Own Correspondent APIA, January 5.

THE Legislative Council has had several meetings latelv at which some new ordinances were passed. The most important of these was “The Overseas Labourers’ Control Ordin ance, 1931.”

The object of this Ordinance is to replace a former proclamation which prohibited the cohabitation of Samoan women and Chinese coolies. This pro clamation had been in existence prac tically since the military occupation of Samoa by New Zealand in 1914, but had never been enforced by the authorities, with the well-known and unfortunate results which were published in this paper.

The Hon. Mr. Johnston, elected member of the Council, very properly asked at the meeting whether it was the intention of the Administration to enforce the Ordinance. He pointed out that there has never been an attempt to do so on the part of the Administra tion and that it would be farcical to issue regulations if the Administration is either unwilling or unable to enforce same.

The Administrator’s reply to the question was regarded as evasive, as he did not give a promise that the new law would be strictly enforced. It may be that this Ordinance is for the bene fit of the Mandate Commission of the League of Nations, which has repeat edly expressed strong views in regard to miscegenation of Chinese and Sa moans. But there seems to be no rea son whatever why the law in this mat ter should not be enforced.

Later.

At a meeting of the Legislative Coun cil, on December 15, the Samoan mem ber of the Council, Chief Mataafa, also asked a question regarding the above Ordinance. He enquired whether the police would inspect Chinese labour quarters to prevent Samoan females from entering same. He believed that inspections would reveal not only Samoan women, but also many chil dren living in these quarters.

The Crown Solicitor answered shortly that the police will make inspections when the Ordinance recently passed becomes law.