Samoan News.

Legislative Council Election.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Apia, Nov. 2.

THE coming election of two members of the Legislative Council will take place on November 9. Mr. Miedeke, the Planters’ Association’s candidate, has withdrawn from the contest and been replaced by Mr. A. R. Cobcroft.

There are now five candidates standing: Messrs. I. H. Carruthers and A. R. Cobcroft (supported by the Planters’ Asso ciation and Chamber of Commerce), Mr.

S. H. Meredith (the former M.L.C.), and two independent candidates, Messrs. R.

G. Bruce (merchant) and R. C. Wekell (planter).

The outcome is uncertain at time of writing. To the original electoral roll of 103 voters, 69 names have been added, bringing the total up to 172. Of this number about one-third are Government officials.

It is much regretted that Mr. A. G.

Smythe, doubtless the most popular can didate, had to withdraw from the con test, as the directors of his company (Morris, Hedstrom, Ltd.) did not ap prove of his candidature.

Samoan Produce.

Record shipments of copra have gone forward in October. Three steamers lifted altogether 3,500 tons of copra for the European market, besides about 100 tons of cocoa beans. The cocoa market,

of late, has been unfavourable owing to large stocks accumulated in America and London, where at present 6,000 sacks of Samoan cocoa are unsold. It is hoped, however, that buying for the Xmas trade will set in and improve things.

The “Maui Pomare” has lifted 6,360 cases of bananas on her last trip for the New Zealand market. Growers were pleasantly surprised to get a small rise from 2/- to 2/3 per case.

Small News Items.

The races of the Apia Turf Club, held on October 29, had unfortunately to be broken off and adjourned for a fortnight owing to a torren tial downpour setting in after the second event of the day.

Rev. Father Diehl, an active and popular commercial worker of the Catholic Mission, re turned to Samoa after a prolonged absence, which was spent travelling in the United States. The Rev. Father was welcomed by a large gather ing, when many complimentary speeches were given expressing the joy of the community to see a genial leader safely back in their midst.

Only a few days ago the death was announced by wireless from Pago Pago (American Samoa) of Miss Georgine Latapie. a clerk in the Apia office of Messrs. Burns, Philp S.S. Co., Ltd.

The young lady, who was very popular and well

liked in the younger circles of Apia, had gone to Pago Pago for a short holiday, and her sudden death came as a sad surprise to her numerous friends.

Mr. Meredith And The Minister.

As reported in the P.I.M., the elected member of the Legislative Council, the Hon. S. H. Mere dith, pointed out in, the last meeting of the Council, that great disappointment is felt locally that no consideration is given local applicants for staff appointments in the New Zealand Reparation Estates, though suitable men are available, and quite a few Europeans are un employed.

The inquiry was transmitted to the Minister of External Affairs in New Zealand, and a reply has now been received from the latter stating, in a cold and non-committal way, that the first consideration must be that of efficiency, but that “it is the policy of the N.Z. Government and the Samoan Administration to afford as much em ployment as possible to local residents.”

This unsatisfactory reply, which simply means that everything will remain as before, evoked a note of thanks from our M.L.C., who seemed quite overwhelmed by the fact that his letter, which constituted merely some last minute elec tion propaganda, had been answered at all.

The circumstances have been ridiculed in our local newspaper, and the chances of re-election, in a field of five candidates, are not very bright for Mr. Meredith.