New Zealand's Pacific

Territories

PROGRESS made in the territories of Western Samoa and the Cook Islands was set out in a report re cently presented to the New Zealand Par liament.

Two of the most important events of the year were, firstly, the establishment of a South Pacific Health Service, and secondly, the setting-up of a Legislative Council in the Cook Islands, under which the islanders achieved a greater measure of self-government. In Western Samoa —whose ’ trade figures for 1946 broke all records—there was a labour problem. Employment for wages was not the natural way in Samoan life. In 1945 only three natives in everv hundred were in employment. Samoans are not held to contracts, and they work as and when they wish. Advances in education had been directed toward increasing the effic iency of primary schools, and extending the number of school hours.

The year’s trading figures for the Cook Islands were also satisfactory considering that the two main exports, citrus and bananas, were hard-hit by phenomenal storms. The fortnightlv air service be tween New Zealand and Rarotonga had made a deal of difference to the islanders it was stated.