Samoa News

From Our Own Correspondent.

APIA, Sept. 26.

COMMENCING in October, the Union Co. steamers running from Vancouver to Auck land, are to call at Apia again every four weeks to take shipments of bananas for the Auck land market. There is a surplus of bananas offer ing at the present time, but it is doubtful whether there will be an ample quantity offering to provide full shipments. The Administration intends, how ever, to accept bananas in future from the more remote districts of Upolu and Savaii and further more to lease suitable Crown land at reasonable rates, and build a road inland parallel to the beach road, which will open up thousands of acres of good land suitable for banana and cocoa planting.

After the completion of the third annual boxing tournament of the Marist Brothers’ School, which attracted a large audience to the Tivoli Theatre, Mr. F. L. A. Goetz, general manager of the N.Z.

Reparation Estates, who is leaving Samoa shortly, was presented with an illuminated address, on behalf of the director, teaching staff, and pupil* of the Marist Brothers’ School.

The Swedish steamer Anten called at Apia re cently to load 1800 tons of copra. Copra is still coming in very freely from the outside districts and export figures should be considerably higher than for the last few years.

The Maui Pomare took away a capacity cargo of bananas—oyer 7600 cases. The fruit was of excellent quality and should reach New Zealand In perfect condition.

Among arrivals by the Maui Pomare were Lance- Corporal J. M. H. Bower, of the Samoan Con stabulary, and his wife, and Mr. Adkins (Bank of New Zealand), who returned to Samoa after several years’ absence.

Rev. and Mrs. Conrad G. Stallan left Samoa recently for a vacation in England. On his return, Rev. Stallan will be transferred to American Samoa.

Rev. H. S. Perkins is expected back in Decem ber, when he will resume charge of the London Missionary Society’s activities. Meantime, Rev.

S. H. F. Phillips, head of the Malua Schools, is acting in his place.

The Hon. I. H. Carruthcrs, M.L.C., has re ceived a communication from the New Zealand Government acknowledging receipt of the resi dents’ petition asking for the appointment of Mr.

A. C. Turnbull as Administrator of Samoa. The N.Z. authorities state that full consideration will be given to the petition.

Mr. J. A. Norrie, Commissioner of the High Court, Labour Commissioner, Crown Solicitor and Crown Prosecutor, is leaving Samoa in December.

Mr. R. V, Kay, of the New Zealand Mortgage Corporation, has been appointed to fill the various positions.

Chief Judge J. H. Luxford is at present presiding at a session of the Lands and Titles Commission, where a lengthy calendar of native cases is being heard. He will return to New Zealand by the next Maui Pomare.

Rev. Father O’Reilly, of Paris, France, has been paying a short visit to Samoa. Father O’Reilly has done much scientific research work of an ethnological and anthropological character in the Solomon Islands, which he intends to continue in other groups, in the interest of the French Gov ernment, the Paris Ethnological Museum and Vatican Museum at Rome.