How Safe Are

Land Titles

In W.Samoa?

From a Staff Writer in Apia One of the first and most difficult matters to be brought before the UNO Trusteeship Mission in Western Samoa next

April is that of land ownership

by Europeans and part-Euro

peans.

IT cannot be dealt with too soon.

Recent pronouncements by some classes of Samoans have aroused deepest anxiety among European and part-European planters es pecially those who hold freeholds — and this has resulted in a percep tible movement of capital out of the country. Individuals and firms have been quietly shifting their money— wherever it could be freed —to Fiji, New Zealand and Australia.

Too many blind and silly Samoans, nursing a strong anti- European bias, have been allowed to broadcast their cock-eyed eco nomic theories.

They have, for example, been watching developments in Indo nesia.

“If the Indonesians can throw out the Dutch and part-Dutch”, said one Samoan, publicly, “why cannot we throw out the Europeans and part-Europeans, and regain possession of these lands for the Samoans?”

No one can explain to these hot heads that there is, ideologically,

a world of difference between tl set-up in Indonesia now, and t! set-up in Samoa.

One of the oldest planters Samoa has just pointed out th the Samoans who talk like th have got no legal justification wha ever.

No Justification

In 1891 there was a Three-Powe Land Commission which ve thoroughly examined all then e isting land titles and claims to lai titles, and was drastic in throwi:. out all claims which could not fairly established.

The titles which survived that ii quiry were accepted international as sound titles; and when Germaj took over Samoa, a little later, ti Commission’s decisions about la;j ownership were the basis of h: administration.

“Only a revolution could destn those land titles”, said the o planter, “and if there is one thii certain, it is that no revolution w be permitted in this country.

“Let the Samoans have thu head, if they want self-governm© —but there are some things whii they must accept as fundament —the safety of life, the maintes ance of order, and the safety property which has been propels and legally acquired.”

Residents in Santo, New Hebridb have been paying as much as per truck of fresh water during® recent period of drought.

GARLANDS. That's not exactly a look of joy being worn by the NZ Minister for Island Territories, Mr. Jock Mathi son, but perhaps the scent of the flowers is overpowering. He received the lei on his arrival at Rarotonga in November to open the Cook Islands' first Legislative Assembly.

GARLANDS AGAIN. These are for the Earl and Countess of Elgin who visited Hawaii in November to lend to the Bishop Museum a royal cloak presented to their family by Kalaniopuu, who was high chief of Hawaii at the time of Captain Cook's visit In 1788. The cloak has been put on public display.

An Hawaiian Airlines' secretary, Miss Katherine Clegg, formerly of London, presents the garlands.