Of Transition

American Samoa And The Troubles

DR 51 years under US Navy administration, American Samoa did very nicely but kept it of its affairs to itself. The nge-over from Navy to Civilian :, in mid-1952, has been of con rable interest to students of igs Pacific, and some light on transition period was given on uary 15 by Governor Phelps Ips. he Governor was speaking at convening of the Fono (Samoan liament) of American Samoa his review shows that the ritory has some problems pecu to itself and others that are mon to most Pacific Groups. It vs also that, although Wash on appears reluctant to help as h as some Samoans would like r reasons enumerated by the ernor —US Administration per lel now remaining in Samoa working unselfishly and with lusiasm to get Civil Adminis ion on to a sound basis. Per s this is because, as the ernor says somewhere in his re i. . . . “Some persons who d not or would not work the : hours and accept the responsi ies . . . have been replaced.” e was referring to the medical

department, but possibly this could be applied to other departments.

However, the Governor holds out no easy way back to prosperity and, indeed, apart from Washing ton handouts there seems no way of achieving this.

The Governor pointed out that although there were three times as many American Samoans now as in 1900 (the annual death rate is a quarter the birth rate) there was not one square foot of extra land and any increase in agricultural products must therefore come through increased efficiency of land use, and improved agricultural methods.

High prices have stimulated the cutting of copra and the Depart ment of Agriculture is introducing

new varieties of coconuts which, it is hoped, will produce more copra per tree.

The Territory’s finances were helped considerably in .the last six months of 1951 by the receipt of a cheque of 154,919 dollars from the United States for arrears in a tax levied on copra millers in the States.

The money, which bears no re- , lation to the price paid for copra j went into general revenue and was not intended for distribution to, copra producers. As the amount * was for a period of years, the I Governor was unable to calculate >' what amount could be expected ‘ from this source in subsequent years.

The Governor said that he was , doing his utmost to increase the present inadequate shipping service I with Hawaii and the United States, —for the sake of the lucrative mat; and curio trade as much as any- J thing—and that he would make<

every possible effort to secure air transportation for the Territory.

He had every reason to hope that the grant-in-aid from the Federal Government would be increased for the fiscal year 1953 and that the Lieut.-Governor was then on his way to Washington to present American Samoa’s financial needs

in the right quarters.

He warned the Pono, however, that American taxpayers were at present heavily burdened and would continue to be so while the cold war lasted and that Congress would continue to try to keep appro priations for other than defence preparations as low as possible.