Samoa, Again!

POLITICAL unrest has flared up again A in Western Samoa and, as reported elsewhere, has come periliously close to civil disorder.

If the N.Z. Government is wise enough to read the signs, it now will discern the basic reasons of the present troubles and will take measures— maybe of a drastic character—to remove the cause of the ferment.

The Samoans never have been a very placid people. During the century of re corded history prior to 1900 (when the territory was divided between Germany and U.S.A.) they were engaged in cease less factional fighting. But their history since 1900 is significant. Western Samoa, during 14 years under Germany, and 23 years under New Zealand, has been poli tically restless and troublesome—in &n administrative sense, “a pain in 'the neck.” Eastern Samoa, during the same 37 years, has been under American rule, and has been completely peaceful' and happy. Yet these are the same natA ives, living under practically the safnre :;: conditions—on beautiful islands, so fer tile that they produce in abundance everything that mankind needs. Ji would' be interesting to comparer, v in’’ Meta,!l;•' the• ; administrative systems 'trie* tWd terri tories,

There is no need here to describe the early administrative errors of New'Zea land. It may be said, however, that they were psychological, rather than material.

Heavy-footed ex-soldiers and stupid and inexperienced officials trampled upon the prejudices and susceptibilities of a race noted for its cultural history and adher ence to tradition: and restlesness and discontent presently broke out in riots.

From about 1930 to 1935, New Zealand tried very hard to secure peace in Samoa; but Wellington officialdom, visionless and unimaginative, would make no con cessions at all to Samoan nationalism, and concentrated its energies upon a sav age prosecution of the Mau leader Mr O. F, Nelson. The N.Z. Labour Govern ment inherited the muddle in 1935.

The Labour Ministers tried to solve the problem simply by reversing the policy of administration. The Mau, or Samoan Nationalist party, which had been poli tically excommunicated, was now offi cially recognised, and accepted as the organisation representing the 50,000 nat ive inhabitants of the territory. The large body of non-Mau Samoans virtually were abandoned.. Many/things, formerly denW to the aggresSiVe" Mau, were granted, in cluding the abolition''-of repressive meas ures; the remission of the personal tax,

the medical tax and the dog tax; no further interference with Malagas; abo lition of banishment of political offen ders; increase of native Legislative Coun cillors from two to four; increase of native district and village officials from 163 (costing £1,930 per annum) to 264 (costing £3,940 per annum); the appoint ment of three native Samoan Judges to the High Court; extension of health and

education services.

Most spectacular of all reforms, New Zealand cancelled the edict of banishment imposed on Mr. Nelson, by the previous Government. The return of Mr. Nelson and his family to Samoa in July, 1936, at the public expense, was made the occasion of a public demonstration, with which the N.Z. Government associated itself. High Chief Faumuina, formerly Man leader, was appointed to take charge of the Samoan official police. Mr. Nelson became the actual head, if not official, leader of the Mau and the adviser of the Administrator. High Chief Tamasese.

Mr. Nelson’s son-in-law, became official leader of the Mau.

Official concessions could hardly have gone further. If the Mau had been guided by men with an atom of commonsense, they would most thankfully have accepted this very liberal new policy and Samoa should have settled down to at least a few years of political peace. We critics of the N.Z. Government insisted that such unreserved official recognition of ah

irresponsible native faction would lead inevitably to trouble, simply because the leaders would regard generosity as weak ness, and would get the whole situation out of focus. But we at least did acknow ledge that the motives of the N.Z. Minis ters were of the highest: that a genuine attempt had been made to settle the Samoan problem; and that the Govern ment had a right to expect complete goodwill and loyalty from the Man, and especially from Mr. Nelson.

But, practically ever since Mr. Nelson’s return to Samoa, there have been friction and difficulties. The Fono of Faipules (Samoan Parliament) made a high handed demand for payment of its mem bers and, when that was refused they staged a very silly “Sit-in Strike.” Man agitators in the political councils forced the resignation from the Legislative Council of High Chief Malietoa Tanu. of purest Samoan royal blood, the highly respected leader of the non-Mau Samoans.

The encouragement of an anti-Govern ment feeling during Mau processions and ceremonies culminated in July in the unfortunate incidents reported elsewhere in this issue. There is among a certain faction , of natives a persistent growing agitation for the ejection of the Euro neans from Samoa—“ Samoa for the Samoans”—which at times has been al lowed to take an ugly turn. And now. finally, we learn that a deputation is to go to N.Z. to lav certain demands before the Government. Three out of the four members of that denutation are mem bers of the Nelson family; and a large proportion of the demands relate to con cessions sought for the benefit of the Ne'son family, or relations, or adherents.

It has taken time and trouble to bring the real cause of much of Samoa’s noli tical unrest into the limelight: but it is clear enough, now, and the N.Z. Govern ment will be very weak if it does not act in accordance with what it sees.

There never will be political peace in while Mr. Nelson is permitted to IWe there: or. living elsewhere, is per mitted to carrv on his political agitation.

It might have been sunnosed that after the events of July, 1936. Mr. Nelson at least would have settled down and re mained ouiet. Maiming that all that he had fought and suffered for had been achieved. Instead of that, the man has become a greater nuisance than ever.

Nothing, annarentlv. will satisfy his in satiable ambition. He has been described as suffering from “elephantiasis of the ego.” His Mau faction insists that he be recognised as the official native adviser of the Administrator. The N.Z. Govern ment apparently was prepared to grant even, this—but it rightly insisted that, before such an appointment was made.

Mr. Nelson should abandon his European status, which is derived from his father, and instead accept the native status, to which he is entitled through his mother.

But that did not suit Mr. Nelson. He has clung to European status, while demand ing all sorts of privileges, which rightly should belong only to native status.

AH this, of course, brings up the ques

tion of the future of Samoa. It would be best for all concerned if the Mandate could be transferred to Britain, and the Territory given a measure of self-govern ment. Intelligent Samoans seem always to be irritated by two things—namely, the fact that they are tied to a country of the smallness and comparative unim portance of New Zealand, and the sight of their neighbour. Tonga, enjoying what is practically self-government, « New Zealanders, however, will want to “save face,’’ and hold on to Samoa. They may make a success of it, even yet. But they will not do it until they place ad ministrative power in the proper hands: learn to distinguish between genuine patriots and babbling agitators; and ac custom themselves to the thought that a race like the Samoans cannot be gov erned by the shibboleths and half-baked idealism of professional politicians.