Leasing of Samoan Reparation Estates

Sir George Richardson Favours Proposal.

In a letter to an Apia resident, Sir George .Richardson, a former Adminis trator of Western Samoa, supports the proposal for the leasing of the Samoan Reparation Estates. His letter, which was published in “The Samoa Herald” of June 17, is as follows:

“I HEARTILY concur (writes Sir George Richardson) in the proposal contained in your letter of the 13th inst., to lease the Reparation Estates in Samoa for close settlement.

“I realised some years ago that such a policy would ultimately be necessary in the interests of that comparatively large section of the community—the locally born Europeans, including those of mixed descent —whose well-being I strove so hard to serve during my five year’s regime in Samoa, and whose future welfare I have still very much at heart. I also satisfied myself that the true interests of the native race would in no way be prejudiced by this policy.

“I believe your proposal will receive very sympathetic consideration by the Government of to-day, which I feel sure is equally solicitous for the welfare of the people of Samoa as the Rt. Hon.

Sir Francis Bell was when he was Min ister of External Affairs, and authorised me to lease the cocoa plantations of the Reparation Estates to local planters.

“This policy then adopted has stood the test of time. It has benefited the lessees and has provided work for per sons who would otherwise be unem ployed. Furthermore, it has resulted in increased production and augmented the wealth of the Territory. I therefore see no logical reason why the same

policy should not be applied to the larger copra plantations.

“I have always viewed with anxiety the lack of suitable avenues of employ ment in Samoa for the large number of boys who receive a good education at the Marist Bros. School and leave there with no future prospects of play ing their part as good citizens because of the absence of a land policy provid ing for their absorption as planters.

“If no progress has been made in so providing for these youths since I left the Territory, their position must now be very serious, and I feel sure that you have only to represent the problem to your Administrator and make con structive proposals to him in order to have immediate action taken to remedy the position.

“I compliment you on your progres sive ideas, as there is a tendency for residents in the Islands who are iso lated from civilisation to live in the past and to criticise any change from old conditions. Every country must progress or stagnate, and where the population is increasing a time arrives when a very progressive land policy has to be adopted and large estates have to be broken up to provide for close settlement. New Zealand has reached that stage already and is now endeavouring to place its surplus city population and unemployed on small farms.

“If this is necessary in the Dominion with only 13 persons per square mile, how much more essential is it in Samoa where population is 40 per square mile.

“There are many other arguments in favour of ‘cutting up’ and leasing the Reparation Estates to local citizens: there are also reasons for not doing so, but I think the latter are overwhelm ingly outweighed by the former.

“I would, however, remind all those interested in your proposal that these estates are the sole property of the people of N.Z. They represent almost the only material reparation the people of this Dominion have received for the stupendous sacrifice of lives and money made by New Zealanders in the Great War.

“Being no longer an official concerned with the Administration of Samoa, I cannot speak with authority, but I do know that the people of this country will always generously support any proposal to further the true interests of the inhabitants of the Mandated Territory and therefore I believe your proposal will receive most sympathetic consideration.”

The steamer “Karetu” went ashore in Nadi Bay, Fiji, at 2 o’clock on the morning of July 10 and was refloated, apparently undamaged, on July 12.