Next Move In Western Samoa

Will New Administrator be Given More Power ?

(Contributed)

WESTERN SAMOA is anxiously await ing an announcement from Welling ton, N.Z. The retiring Administrator departs in July. Who is to be his suc cessor?

A wrong appointment, now, might easily set in train events which will mean the withdrawal of the Mandate from New Zealand.

The Administration of Western Samoa has ever proved a thorny problem for New Zealand.

The hectic post-war period created political, economic, social, and legal diffi culties, which the inexperienced N.Z. offi cials sent to the Territory often found hard to cope with. The natives, elated and happy amid the post-war high prices of produce and liberal wages, willingly co-operated with the Government, as they were used to do under the pre-war Ger man rule; but the European residents, planters, and traders were less pleased with the changes brought about, when the New Zealand Government deemed it necessary to introduce many new measures.

Severe criticism was levelled at the Administration which, among other things, was blamed with extravagance and lack of co-operation with the settlers, who wanted more representation and a voice in the councils of the Administration. The land question, the unwarranted intro duction of prohibition for Europeans, and other arbitrary measures, were the main sources of dissatisfaction.

But the New Zealand Government re mained adamant and aloof, granting only small and unimportant concessions to the Europeans. A more concilliatory attitude was adopted when General Richardson became Administrator. He partly appeased the Europeans and brought about better understanding with the European planters.

Of strong individuality, and taking much interest in the Samoans. General Richardson tried to promote the political and economic welfare of the natives by measures which involved radical and important changes in their inherited tra ditions, customs, and the social system.

He chose the wrong advisers in his native policy. The rapid changes aroused the resentment of the most influential chiefs and their active or passive resistance.

Punitive measures, deportations, imprison ment, and fines followed, to suppress opposition—and as a result the Samoan “Mau” was born in 1926 as a powerful anti-Administration movement. With its birth, the previous opposition to the Ad ministration, which came from the Euro pean element, was relegated to the back ground.

The history of the Mau movement, and the failure of the Administration during many years to suppress the “Mau” and conciliate the Samoans are well known.

The crisis was reached under the adminis tration of General Richardson’s successor, Colonel Allen, when in 1929 High Chief Tamasese at the head of a Mau proces sion, was killed in an affray with the police on Apia’s main road.

General Hart, succeeding Colonel Allen, found the Administration faced with a stubborn wall of native resentment and sullen non-co-operation. His administra torship has been peaceful: but it has not been notable for any great improvement in the Mau situation. These natives like an energetic, bustling forceful man. But General Hart has pursued “a policy of masterly inactivity.” Perhaps it was a good policy. He made few new friends

for the Administration; but he made no further enemies.

As the local paper put it, the only good one could say of his term as Administra tor was that he took a keen interest in sport and actively participated in bowling and golf. Personally quite a likable man he thought it best, in order to avoid the pitfalls into which his predecessors had fallen, to remain inactive and aloof; the only event of importance during his term of office being the trial and deportation of the Samoa-born Mau leader, O. F. Nelson —and in this event he took only a small part.

(Continued overleaf)

A feature of General Hart’s Administra tion was the exchanges of State visits with the Governor of the neighbouring American Samoa, which occurred with regularity several times a year—accom panied by much firing of salutes, guards of honour, visits to plantations, and offi cial balls at Vailima —where Samoa offi cialdom was brilliantly represented, with practically the total exclusion of Euro pean residents of Apia, This latter prac tice was in vivid contrast to General Rich ardson’s time when, on important official occasions, every respectable European re sident of Samoa was invited to Vailima.

Of course, the strange inactivity of General Hart may be due to the fact that he had to obey strict orders from Wel lington, where the External Affairs Office wished to reserve all important and even unimportant decisions to themselves and refused to let the Administrator have a free hand in any matters of policy.

The question of a successor looms large in the public interest. There is complete agreement that in the interests of finance, economy, and efficiency, no decorative figurehead or placid office-holder is wanted here.

The name of Judge Ayson, at present.

Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands, is mentioned as a possible choice.

This would be warmly welcomed here, for several reasons. Judge Ayson, when ap pointed, would be able to occupy the com bined positions of Judge and Administra

tor, and so save the trouble and expense of the present method of sending to Apia from New Zealand a judge on circuit.

But the chief reasons are that Judge Ayson has a wide knowledge of native affairs, that he has a reputation for the successful handling of difficult political situations, and that he is a man of tact and common sense.

Doubtless, the Samoan Mandate and the policy of New Zealand has been discussed in London between the British Govern ment and Prime Minister Forbes. It is hoped that, as a result, greater co-opera tion between the Samoan Administration, the inhabitants of the Mandated Terri tory, Europeans, and Samoans alike will be secured.