Mr. F. L. A. Goetz Leaves

Western Samoa

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Nov. 7.

BY the Maui Pomare, which leaves to day, Mr. F. L. A. Goetz, general man ager of the New Zealand Reparation Estates, who recently resigned his posi tion, departs from Samoa after five and a half years of service.

During his term of office Mr. Goetz thoroughly reorganised the concern and succeeded in reducing expenditure of the estates from £117,000 to £37,000. He was faced with the difficult task of guiding the Government plantations through the worst times of the depression, when pro duce prices reached bedrock and all over the South Seas plantations had to close down.

Active and energetic, of strong person ality, and a tireless worker who demanded efficiency and devotion to duty of his wor kers, Mr. Goetz made many friends in Samoa, but also, which seems natural under the circumstances, quite a few severe critics. That on the whole, how ever, his efforts for the progress and wel fare of Samoa were much appreciated by the general public, was clearly shown by the number of farewell dinners and par ties given before his departure from Samoa and the complimentary speeches, in which his good services to the com munity, to commerce, and sport were duly recognised.

Mr. Goetz took special interest in all matters pertaining to agricultural inter ests in Samoa, and had reorganised the Samoan Planters’ Association, of which he had been president for the last few years.

Mr. Louis Fricotte, a middle-aged Frenchman, who arrived in Sydney from New Hebrides by the Morinda on Nov ember 11, saw for the first time in his life electric trains, trams and a big city.

He is a boat builder at Vila, where he has resided for 27 years. Born of French parents in Noumea he lived there for 22 years before going to the Condominium.