Inquiry-

Full-Scale PWD Inquiry- Starts at Apia

(Prom Our Own Correspondent) PUBLIC servants who take advantage of their post to enrich themselves at the i expense of the Government betrayed m their trust and compromised the efforts to demonstrate Samoa’s ability to govern itself, said the f Acting High Commissioner for Western Samoa (Mr. T. R. Smith) I in the course of his address at the opening of the Legislative Assembly at Apia on August 16.

I The increase in offences of this I kind showed a lack of responsibility I and discipline, said Mr. Smith, padding that no country could ■remain great unless the moral fibre and restraint of the people were maintained.

The Acting High Commissioner referred to the Commission of Inquiry into the working of the Public Works Department, which began its sittings on August 19. ■i The Commission comprises Mr.

Justice Archer and Mr. H. I. Hume, Assistant Engineer-in-Chief of the New Zealand Ministry of Works, who both arrived from the Dominion the day before the

pBittings began.

* After hearing evidence for a fortnight, the Commission will compile its report and recommenda tions.

The whole range of Public Works activities and organisation will be surveyed, and the witnessess include heads of Government Departments, PWD officers and two members of the Legislative Assembly (the Hons.

P. Plowman and A. M. Gurau), I Counsel for the Commission is Mr. E. C. R. Winkel, legal officer of the N.Z. Public Works

Ipommission.

I Meanwhile more allegations of defalcations and other irregularities, including over-expenditure of voted allocations, have been made at Apia.

I Work on the Poutasi-Salani south coast road has been suspended pending investigation. (Further report on page 155) I Figures just published at Papeete show that although the number of vessels calling at French Oceania from overseas was the same in 1954 as in the previous year, 78, the cargo handled was substantially higher |n 1954. Of the 307,868 tons fendled , in 1954 (253,130 tons in 1953), only 44,463 tons consisted of unports. The export tonnage was En phosphate from Makatea— m9,000 tons of it. Tasman Empire Airways carried 29 tons of cargo to Tahiti including mail, and de farted with 27 tons during 1954, 29 calls being made at Papeete.

Wedding in

Samoa

Mr. Eddie Oldehaver, of Apia, Western Samoa, journeyed to Eastern Samoa to marry Taupou Leafaitulagi T. Tuitele at Leone village in August. On the left of this group is the brides maid, Miss Katalina Ameperosa, and on the right is the best man, Mr. Loli Crichton.

Photo by Pan American Prints.