First Visit To Territory
pp. 35-36 · Read in the full issue
Samoan Residents Are Critical
Some Aspects Of Nz Minister’S
Apia, Feb. 20.
THE Hon. T. L. Macdonald, suc cessor to Mr. Webb as Minister of New Zealand’s Island Terri tories, paid his first official visit to Western Samoa in February. He was greeted with the usual Samoan
ceremonial and attended meetings of the Executive Council, the Legis lative Assembly, and the Fono of Faipule. During the five days he was on Upolo he made a close in spection of all major public works, schools, plantations, etc. He pro-
A group of people assembled at the [?]idence of the NZ High Commissioner Vailima to meet the Minister. They [?] from left to right: Mr. J. B. Wright, [?]retary for Island Territories; Captain [?]ckie-Campbell; Mrs. Mackie-Campbell; [?]n. T. L. Macdonald; Mrs. R. G. wles; the High Commissioner. Mr. R.
Powles; and Mr. H. S. Wells, Minister’s vate Secretary. (D. E. Ross, photo.)
poses to return in June, when he will also visit the Cooks and Niue.
Dissatisfaction was expressed by people who said the Minister’s time was monopolised by officials, so that there was not enough opportunity for Samoan leaders and private citizens to present their views.
Adverse comment was also made because the heads of Public Works, Health, Education, Agriculture, and Justice Departments, and the Financial Secretary and Treasurer, were all overseas.
The Minister’s meeting with Public Service representatives, and pressure for increased salaries by seconded staff members from NZ caused some unfriendly comment by some Samoan residents, who hold that these officials already are very well paid, and can maintain a higher standard of living than would be possible for them back in NZ. They argue that Samoa’s present financial resources cannot afford further ex penditure on the Public Service and that the alternative is a drastic re duction of the present staff.
If Monsieur Louis Eschembrener has recently been elected Conseiller de I’Union Francaise to represent New Caledonia in Paris. He succeeds Monsieur Pierre Berges, lately de ceased.