Samoan Land
pp. 128-129 · Read in the full issue
Letter to the Editor Matai System and Samoan Land
YOUR correspondent signing him self “Tululele”* (PIM, April, p. 67), has, after five months at last came round to answering my letter in your December issue.
Probably his valuable time was taken up with writing weekly letters to the editor of the local paper which all tediously repeated the same worn-out arguments and dealt with the same questions: the matai system and the land problem.
It is tiresome to have to point out again to “Tufulele,” who is very well aware of the facts, that the matai system and the land problem are purely Samoan matters and have, as recognised by the New Zealand Government and the UN Trusteeship Council, to be dealt with by the Samoans themselves.
Your correspondent has yet to prove that he has any backing amongst Europeans or Samoans for hi s “campaign.” The fact that I have been elected twice to represent the European community in the Legis lative Assembly, while “Tufulele” has twice unsuccessfully contested elections, may be some proof, where
* This was a misprint of "Tufulele", accord ing to Mr. Gurau.
European electors have placed their confidence. I believe I am in closer touch with the European electorate than “Tufulele,” who is practically unknown to a large majority of Europeans.
Nobody who has followed debates of the Legislative Assembly could truthfully assert that I have at any time been influenced by personal reasons in my political attitude, nor
have I been attached to any 40 of political chiefs,” whatevv meant by that.
The Samoans are fully aV cope with the land situation: present a “Land-use Committ) sitting to deal with the land pn and Samoan members of thi sembly have, during the last s of the Legislative Assembly, s in favour of untitled Samoans;
ed a greater share in the pro of their plantations under the I system, and that they are ed security of land tenure, five European members of the ibly have carefully refrained commenting on the matai n based on Samoan tradition, y and custom, is a matter for the Samoans themselves il with. ( Legislative Assembly to be d next November will comprise imoan representatives of all stricts of the Territory which, stretch of imagination can be “a tiny group of chiefs.” lele” will then be able to find le opinions of the true repre ives of the whole of Samoa g matai system and the land m.
I am, etc.,
A. M. Gurau.
moa, 5. 1957.