Supporting Administrator.

Sharp Criticism of Mau. Unprejudiced Opinion Now Supporting Administrator.

(By Marc. T. Greene, an American journalist who is visiting Samoa.)

Apia, Aug. 30.

GENERAL HART has now met the committee representing the Mau on six different occasions within a month and nobody has got anywhere as a result. The stumbling-block con tinues to be Mr. Nelson and whether he shall participate in a general con ference, or “fono,” between the Administration and the natives. Both sides refuse to yield.

The Administration’s reasons for declining to admit Nelson to a discus sion of the real and alleged grievances of the natives of Western Samoa are not a few, but the principal ones are

that he is deemed unfriendly to New Zealand, that his personal ambitions affect his concern for the welfare of the Samoan people and that, being of mixed European and Samoan blood, and therefore classifiable with Europeans rather than with natives, he is not justified in assuming their leadership in this critical matter.

General Hart, supported of course by the New Zealand Government, takes the position that a discussion of the differences between the Administration and the natives ought to be held with the natives themselves and through their leading chiefs. It is considered

that what has already happened here — characterized, as much as it has been, by injustice, lack of tact and obstinate inefficiency—is a part of the past that cannot be undone, although it may in a measure be atoned for. Nor is it believed that such atonement can be accomplished if Nelson, having the consciousness of his admittedly unjust treatment by New Zealand ever in his mind, is permitted to direct and to dictate the native policy toward the Administration. In other words, Nel son's quarrel with New Zealand and the natives’ dissatisfaction can not be dealt with as one cause.

The general sympathy here with this attitude on the Administration’s part is significant.

There is probably not a single European resident who does not share in that sympathy, and very few half castes. Moreover, at least half of the Europeans and probably almost all of the latter, have been strong and voluble critics of the Administration. Some, in deed, have been active personal sup porters of Nelson, and none are blind for an instant to the harmful effects of the tactless Richardson and the in credibly stupid Allen administrations, nor are they at all inclined to forgive the iniquities they perpetrated.

But constantly to dwell upon all that is to get the Samoans nowhere, and no where is the exact destination at which they have arrived after all these years of talk, of recriminations, of acrimony and personal allusion. Moreover, seven or eight thousand pounds of the Samoans’ money have gone to the same destination— and all to what end?

Meanwhile, the economic affairs of the community are rapidly approaching the state known as confusion worse confounded. That being the case, the traders and planters are growing ex ceedingly restive and demanding that “something be done at once.” All things considered, the economic condi tion of Western Samoa is probably worse than that of any other group in the South Seas, which is saying a good deal. No fair-minded person casts all the blame, or any large part of it, upon the but it is indubit able that there has been much waste and much economic inefficiency.

All this being the case, and the good intent of General Hart toward every body concerned being beyond any manner of question, the community is behind his efforts toward the restora tion of harmony in a degree perhaps greater than toward any Administration since the New Zealand occupation.

Even if all the rumours one hears con cerning Nelson’s threatening attitude toward the Administration, and con cerning his alleged promise to the natives of a “protectorate even if not complete independence,” are dis regarded, the feeling has come to be that if his anxiety for the natives’ wel fare really transcends his own per sonal ambition and hostility toward New Zealand, he ought to withdraw and let the Samoans make the attempt to get together with the Administration.

General Hart’s attitude, together with his personal assurances to myself and to other individuals, leave no doubt that he is prepared to grant as many of the Samoans’ requests as lie within his power. These requests, set forth in more than twenty pages of foolscap paper, and most certainly compiled under Nelson’s direction, deal at great length with ancient treaties, with the

“status” of Samoa, and with much else, neither germane to the controversy with New Zealand nor clothed with the least practicability as subjects of dis cussion at this particular stage of Samoan affairs. It is only a waste of time to talk about them.

But to the more tangible requests, such as a revision of import and export duty schedules, abolition of coercive ordinances, restriction upon such police activities as were never at any time justified, cessation of interference with native customs, and greater oppor tunity for native participation in the various administrative departments, there attach much justification; and no doubt at all exists that the Government will grant many or most of them —the condition being that Nelson’s leader ship is abandoned and the Mau finally disbanded.

This is more than any Administra tion has offered, or indeed more than this one has offered, up to now. But, as the matter stands at this writing even it is unacceptable to the majority of the Mau without Nelson. Yet there is making itself apparent an under current of restiveness at his leadership and certain definite and potent in fluences are at work to strengthen that undercurrent, all to the general end of the restoration of harmony here.

Several of the Mau chiefs have already practically broken away from Nelson, and others, especially the younger ones, are becoming dissatis fied, as they are unable to discover anything whatever in the way of achievement on their behalf as a result of endless talk, press propaganda and the expenditure of much money. That such achievement is, however, now within sight through a direct discus sion between the Mau chiefs and the Administration, is beyond dispute; and every endeavour is being made by the European element here, disregarding previous sentiments and differences, to bring it about.

The continued strength of the Mau, the growing dissatisfaction among the natives, and their all-too-apparent testiness toward the white population, together with the disastrous economic condition of the community, rpake a prompt settlement of the Samoan situa tion of the utmost importance.