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Changes in West Samoa

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Peb. 34.

ON February 23, Colonel F. W. Voelcker, after three years’ tenure of office as New Zealand’s last Administrator and first High Commissioner in Western Samoa, left Apia by an American plane for Pago Pago, Honolulu and the United States, where he will spend a lengthy holiday before taking up his new office as one of New Zealand’s Delegates on the South Pacific Commission, with head quarters in Noumea.

The newly-appointed High Commis sioner, Mr. J. R. Powles and Mrs. Powles are expected to arrive oh the New Zea land cruiser “Hawea,” at Apia, on March 1. They will be accompanied by Mr.

Powle’s assistant, Mr. Whitlock, and Mrs.

Whitlock. The party will be welcomed on the wharf by members of the Council of State, the Legislative Council, the Pono of Paipule, heads of Departments, and

representative citizens.

(COLONEL VOELCKER, after a dis- J tinguished military career, arrived here in March, 1946, as successor to Sir Alfred Turnbull. With energy and enthusiasm, he inaugurated a post-war policy of development and progress for tb& Territory, in accordance with the recommendations of the Trusteeship Council Commission which visited Western Samoa in July/August, 1947, and in the terms of the Trusteeship Agree ment adopted by the NZ Government, He planned for the building of 142 miles of new motor roads encircling the islands of Upolu and Savaii, extension of the hydro-electric scheme, an elaborate edu cation programme providing improved facilities for secondary education and ad vanced training, improvements in the medical services' and the installation of a broadcasting station, with receiving sets in all the villages. Though these services were partly subsidised by the New Zea land Government, the large expenditure needed was made possible mainly by the record prices received for Samoa’s main products (copra and cocoa) during 1947 and 1948. Where the old Administration was often handicapped by lack of funds, under Voelcker the Territory’s budget showed record Government revenue and large annual surpluses. Lately, the sudden heavy drop in cocoa price has threatened the splendid financial position of the Territory, and made it somewhat uncertain whether the elaborate new Government services can be fully main tained in future.

The public works programme has not been completed at the time of Colonel Voelcker’s departure, and much of it is left for the attention of Mr. Powles.

UNDOUBTEDLY Colonel Voelcker’s per sonality made a strong impression on the people of Samoa, and it will not soon be forgotten that during his term of office the Samoan new Govern ment was inaugurated (June, 1948) and the new flag of Samoa was hoisted as a symbolic step towards self-government.

Before Colonel Voelcker’s departure, the people of Samoa, Europeans and Samoans alike, showed their respect and expressed their gratitude in many official and pri vate farewell functions and parties. In a sense, Colonel Voelcker’s term of office marked the end of an epoch in the his tory of Western Samoa, and the begin ning of a new era; and, as such, it Was of great historical importance.