Why Some W. Samoa Officials

Are Misfits

MORE or less in criticism of itself, the New Zealand Department of Island Territories, in a recent report, says that the method of recruiting admini strative officers for Western Samoa is “haphazard” and has too high a per centage of failures.

European officials in Western Samoa, unlike those in Fiji or New Guinea, are not men trained for colonial administra tion but are New Zealand public servants seconded to Western Samoa for a term —usually three years. Men of ability are not usually anxious for this, with the result that Western Samoa gets some officials who are clearly misfits.

The Department feels that it is de sirable for officials to have an under standing of Samoan society. It hopes to add to its establishment men who have achieved success in the Islands, who after a period in the department in NZ “may be posted to Samoa in a state of greater awareness of the work ahead.”