Samoa Looks Ahead

What is Necessary in the Way of Reforms

By A. M. Gurau

*\T EW ZEALAND’S Mandated Territory li of Western Samoa might be called the “India” of New Zealand. In spite of over 30 years of New Zealand’s Military and Civil Administration, under the National and Labour Governments; in spite of far-reaching concessions to the Samoans which have succeeded in creating a truce and resulted in the abandonment of active and non co-operative opposition by the Samoans; in spite of all this, the natives have in sisted and are still insisting on a larger measure of self-government.

The great importance that the New Zealand Government attaches to a final and satisfactory solution of Samoan prob lems is reflected in the three visits paid to Western Samoa by the Governor- General during the last two years, in the official visit paid by the New Zealand Prime Minister and in the recent visit to New Zealand by the three paramount High Chiefs of Samoa, as guests of the New Zealand Government. In addition, a delegation of Samoan political leaders will visit New Zealand shortly and in spections will be made of the Territory by the heads of the New Zealand Medi cal and Education Departments.

All these polite exchanges and the re organisation of several Departments in the Samoan Administration, obviously indicate radical changes in policy, and a realisation that the previous course has not produced satisfactory results.

Undoubtedly, the events of the war years, the American “invasion’ of the Territory, the attitude of the USA, post war developments in the Pacific gener ally, have appreciably contributed to the decision of the NZ Government to place its relations with the Mandated Terri tory on a more conciliatory and amiable basis than heretofore.

It is claimed in Samoa, that while the most successful and most popular Gover

nor of Samoa, the German Dr, Solf, was given a free hand by the Imperial Ger man Government to decide matters of policy on the spot, the retiring Executive head of the Samoan Administration, Sir Alfred Turnbull, was, for the 10 years of his office, greatly limited in his powers, and had to await the decisions of the Wellington bureaucracy even in minor matters of policy. It is sincerely hoped that the new Administrator shortly to succeed Sir Alfred, will be granted a far greater measure of liberty in this regard.

It is completely wrong to label the Samoans, simply because they demand a greater voice in the government of their country, “anti-Go' r ernment, N “anti-New Zealand” or “anti-British” (or even “pro- American” and “pro-German”). The simple fact is that the Samoans are “pro- Samoan” and, in fairness, nobody can blame them for that. rpHE new Administrator, Colonel J. Voelcker, will be welcomed to Samoa with an open mind. Though the “dollar” prosperity period is now de finitely finished, the economic situation in the Territory is very satisfactory.

Prices of Samoan produce are very good and there are indications that the next year will see the expansion of agricul ture, particularly the cocoa industry, and probably the establishment of secondary industries. This favourable development should go hand-in-hand with a political re-orientation of New Zealand policy.

A step in the right direction which the New Zealand Government has taken is the education and training of Samoan boys and girls for professions, trades and Government careers, as a necessary pre paration for giving qualified Samoans a greater share in the administration of the Territory. It would be a great mistake to neglect agricultural training as seems likely at present. Samoans should be trained as agricultural advisers of their people and a properly equipped and staffed Department of Agriculture estab lished. rE new Administrator would do well to establish more and better con tacts with the Samoan and European representatives than through the medium of rare Legislative Council meetings and the annual Fono of Faipule. Samoan and European leaders should, as fre quently as possible, be given the oppor tunity of submitting their views on mat ters of policy and needed reforms to the Administrator.

Apart from the Samoan demands for a greater share in self-government, there are a great many reforms which Samoans and Europeans have urged for years with out success.

For instance, the installation of a filter bed in the water supply scheme would, in the opinion of Apia residents, improve health in the Apia district. And, with the rapidly-increasing population, the present staff of the Medical Department of three European medical officers (or one to over 20,000 inhabitants) seems in sufficient. There should be at least an other medical officer stationed on the island of Savaii.

Cutting-up of the Government Repara tion Estates and leasing or selling Gov ernment land to landless part-Samoans and Samoans is also urgently necessary and would probably obviate the present large migration to New Zealand of young boys and girls who cannot find useful employment in their own country.