Apparent Conflict of
pp. 42-43 · Read in the full issue
Editorial Note.
Apparent Conflict of Interests
THERE appear to be three parties, or sets of interests, contributing to this discussion. They are— • The Executive Government of : Western Samoa, which carries out the wishes of the NZ Government.
It is advised but not instructed by ' the Legislative Assembly of Western j Samoa. • A section of the business com munity of the Territory, which is i not particularly friendly to British i interests, and which has an in- fluential, if not a dominating voice f in the Legislative Assembly. • The strongest section of the £ business community, which speaks? mainly through the Chamber off Commerce. It is generally opposed I to abolition of the Preferential I Tariff, for patriotic as well as com- mercial reasons.
The Executive Government is try- ing to hold the balance fairly as be- tween all interests. It clearly is 2 embarrassed, because big business e interests, and pro-British sentiment,,, are in favour of retaining the Tariff; ; whereas the Wellington politicians,,, pursuing their idealistic policy off Samoa for the Samoans, have de- cided to let the Samoan Assembly y decide the matter —and the indica- tions are that the Assembly willli abolish the Tariff.
The official statement from thee Samoa Government, valuable as fan as it goes, does not explain the de lay of about five years which hasa. occurred in dealing with this matter; ;
nor does it make any reference to the general belief that the matter will come before the Assembly this month, and that, as “the issue is basically one for W. Samoa to dotermine for herself,” the Assembly will naturally expect Abolition, whicn apparently it favours, to become effective at once.