Shortage

Samoa’S Acute Food

Too Many Country Folk Crowd Into Town

From Our Own Correspondent APIA, July 10 THE continuing acute shortage of Samoan foodstuffs is causing considerable concern to the Samoan Government and native leaders. It is a contributing factor in the wave of lawlessness in Western Samoa. It affects practically all the districts of Upolu and Savaii, where Samoan foodstuffs are systematically stolen from Breadfruit, Taro, Banana and Yam plantations. The high prices of imported food, particularly New Zealand canned meats, cause many burglaries in stations.

The Fono of Faipule (Samoan parliament) representing 41 political districts, in its June session asked for laws to enforce removal to their homes of a large number of Samoans —mainly young men who have drifted from outside villages to the Apia town area, and who are not performing any useful or essential work.

The Fono held that the large in crease in crime against property is due mainly to this class of people, who possess no land and have in sufficient means of support. The pro posed legislation would reduce the number of consumers in Apia and at the same time increase the num ber of agricultural producers outside.

The High Commissioner agreed that the matter should be considered by the Legislative Assembly in August.

People started to drift into Apia when American troops were stationed there during the war, and their num ber has greatly increased since.

Court records show that the over whelming majority of criminal offenders in the Apia area are not permanent residents of Apia. It has been proved that prison sentences are not a sufficient deterrent for these people.

The Agricultural Department, seek ing causes of the shortage of basic food crops, has investigated: Weather conditions.

The will not to work of the younger people.

Population in villages where there is a shortage of food.

Migration of those who norm ally work in village gardens.

Whether there is sufficient land suitable for planting food crops in

rotation, in the districts or villages where there is a shortage.

Whether compulsory planting of food crops should be introduced.

Whose responsibility it is to en courage the people to work their lands, to ensure a continuance of locally grown food supplies.

Whether there are any other territories in the South West Pacific where there is a compar able shortage of locally-grown food.

Whether there has been in the past 20 years similar shortage of food in the Territory.

The Department has no recol lection of such a shortage. It

considers that the fatalistic attitude of some Samoans, who live from day to day and are reluctant to provide for the future, is a con tributory cause.

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Hagen, of Noumea, New Caledonia, were in Sydney on holiday in July.