Samoan News

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Jan. 12.

CHRISTMAS holidays are over, and, though the weather was not too bright, residents made the most of them. Taken all round, it was a much better and more enjoyable Christmas for everybody in Samoa, than was spent the previous year. , .

Thanks to the better price for copra, cocoa, and bananas and larger crops, people had considerably more money to spend and the business community consequently had very satisfactory sales to report.

A “Christmas box” for 80-odd unemployed. Euro peans of Apia, which consisted of some essential provisions for the festive season, was issued by the Administration on the authority of the new Gov ernment of New Zealand, and also served to create “goodwill amongst men” in our little community.

Giant Fish Stranded In Tokelaus

According to a wireless message received from the Tokelau Islands (a group under the Samoan Administration, situated about 300 miles north of the Samoan Group), a very large fish, probably a whale, was found stranded near Fakaofo, the capital of the Tokelaus. The animal measured 66 feet in length and is 10 feet high. It is stated that this is the largest fish ever seen in the group.

Trans-Pacific Air Service

It was interesting to note that the agreement regarding the future air services between America and New Zealand, which has been signed by the contracting parties, contains a provision for calls to be made at Apia, if necessary, on receipt of three days’ notice from the Crown, for the purpose of embarking or disembarking passengers, or de livering mails. The air-service, which uses the neighbouring port of Pago Pago (American Samoa) as an intermediate airport, will prove of consider able importance to Western Samoa. It is hoped, that with improved transport facilities and Apia joined on to the trans-Pacific air service, the much neglected tourist traffic in Western Samoa, which offers splendid possibilities, will be boosted and advertised,

Copra Shipment Damaged

Reports have been received that the cargo of copra on the Union Co.’s Cape York was recently damaged by fire. A number of Samoan planters and merchants had shipped copra on the vessel.

The cargo, however, was covered fully by insur ance.

Young Clerks Sentenced For Frauds

At Apia High Court recently, two young clerks, Steve Brown, Junr., and a Samoan, Ofati, em ployees of Morris, Hedstrom, Ltd., were each sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for fraudulent thefts. Over a period of 10 months they had manipulated sales entries and stolen £B5 between them. In his statement to the police, Ofati declared that he was shown how to falsify the books by a former white employee of the firm.

Samoan Imprisoned For Theft

Two young Samoans, Niko Asiata and Serna, appeared before the Court on January 8, on a charge of theft. The two accused, who pleaded not guilty, were accused of having stolen £2O in N.Z. bank notes from a suit case, belonging to a New Zealand tourist, Mr. Hudson, lodging at Mrs. Hoppe’s boarding-house. Serna was em ployed at the boarding-house as a house-boy.

A large number of witnesses testified to having seen the notes in the possession of Asiata. Most of the stolen money was changed and spent in the Chinese stalls at the native market, on taxi rides, and on a drinking bout with several other Samoan boys, who apparently had consumed large quantities of Fa’amafu (Samoan “home brew”) in a native “speak-easy”.

From the evidence it appeared that Sema had none of the stolen money in his possession, nor took an important part in the spending of it. but that Asiata had changed and spent the total amount, though he insisted, that he had received the £2O from his friend, Sema, for safe keeping in the first instance. The father of Niko Asiata, High Chief and former Government interpreter for 23 years, addressed the Court on behalf of his son, and eloquently pleaded that there was in sufficient evidence.

Commissioner Kay discharged Sema and found Asiata, who had a criminal record, guilty of theft.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.

Mr. H. W. Champion, Government Sec retary of Papua, left Sydney for Port Moresby, after long leave, by the Macdhui on January 30.