Samoa

Moral Lapses In

Spirited Reply to Missionary's Slanders

Letter to the Editor YOU probably have noticed a news paper report of a speech in Sydney by a former missionary of the Lon don Missionary Society in Apia, Rev. C.

G. Stallan. It was made to a lunch eon gathering and published by the “Sydney Morning Herald” on August 31 under the captions: “Evils of Modern Civilisation —Drink, Gambling and Pic tures in Samoa —Missionary’s Fears”. (We saw the report; but, as we con sidered it silly, and so inaccurate and prejudiced as to convey an entirely wrong picture of Samoa, it was not re ferred 10 in this journal.—Ed. “P.1.M.”).

The contents of this article have aroused surprise, and indignation in Western Samoa —though it is not clear whether the remarks by Mr. Stallan re fer to American Samoa or to the Man dated Territory of Western Samoa. As far as the latter is concerned the alle gations are wholly unjustified and either imaginary or the product of a strangely perverted viewpoint. In the local news paper, a former missionary has already replied to Mr. Stallan’s address, and re futed same.

Mr. Stallan contends that the Sa moan race is being demoralised by drink, racing, gambling, boxing and the cinema, and that the influence of re ligious teaching is weakening. He says that drinking in American Samoa, among the natives, started with the repeal of prohibition in U.S.A.

It is a well-known fact that home brewing and drinking among natives started only after the New Zealand Gov ernment introduced —with the hearty consent of the missions—prohibition in Western Samoa. Only recently the Hon.

Tamasese, in a speech in the Legisla tive Council, deplored the bad effects of prohibition on the young Samoan gener ation. But, after all, nobody can say that drink is an outstanding evil amongst Samoan natives. There are

certainly some sly-grog shops, and “faamaiu” home-brew novels on the Apia water-front—mainly serving the entertainment of visiting sailors.

As regards racing, the efforts of the Apia Turf Club are to stimulate among the natives interest in horse-breeding and love of animals—a very necessary education for the Samoan, who is from sheer ignorance often inclined to ill treat and abuse his horse. Gambling among natives is almost non-existent.

The promotion of boxing among the Samoan youth, undertaken by leading Europeans and also by the Marist School Brothers, has had a very good effect on the Samoans, teaching tnem the value of good sportsmanship and fair play.

The cinema in Apia, where there ex ists only one picture theatre, is regu larly censored before being shown; and, as the morals of the natives are decid edly more liberal than those of the white man, there is considerable room for doubt whether any harm can pos sibly be done to native morals, even by a picture with an uncensored Mae Wesu as star. We in Samoa think that Mr.

Stallan could speak with authority on this aspect.

Mr. Stallan believes that the influence of religious teaching among the Samoan is weakening. This is also disputed; but, if conceded, whose fault is it? The old type of missionaries, who brought Christianity to Samoa and educated the natives in the moral principles of reli gious thought, gave also an example to their native flocks by leading them selves a Christian, moral and unblem ished life. More recent arrivals on the missionary field do not seem to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors, and, while preaching morality to others, are moral offenders themselves. Mr.

Stallan probably knows of the case of a certain missionary in Samoa (who has since left the country) against whom serious allegations of immorality and moral lapses were made, which were the common talk of his Samoan congrega tion, and served seriously to undermine respect, not only for the missionary him self, but also for his fellow mission workers, and white residents generally.

And, though the case was hushed up by superior influence, and the offender left Samoa, it is not forgotten par ticularly as, shortly afterwards, similar allegations were made against another missionary, who also had to leave Apia.

Samoans are not exactly fools, and are surprisingly quick in observing and sizing up the white man—not only by his words, but also, and particularly, by his deeds, and his mode of life. The Rev. Stallan will, therefore, understand when I close this letter with the famous and fitting quotation: “O si tacuisses”.

I am, etc.,

Veritas.

Apia, Samoa, 21/10/’3B.