Samoa Pick[?]

A “Vital”

Cabinet

From our Apia Correspondent

The Prime Minister, Fian

Mataafa, and five of his eig

Cabinet ministers, retain the

posts following the general ele

tions in West Samoa of Februa

4. new Legislative Assembi which met for its inaugui meeting on February 14, unanir ously passed a vote of confidence the Prime Minister, which thus e: abled him to appoint his Cabin for the next three years.

And the next three years will three of the most important in We Samoan history—embracing as th do a period before and after the e pected date of West Samoan ind pendence—January 1, 1962.

The five Cabinet Ministers wl retained their old portfolios are tl Minister of Justice, Anapu Solof Minister for Post Office, Radio ai Broadcasting, Fa’alava’au Galu; tl Minister for Land, To’oma Lilomaiava; the Minister for Worl: Mr. F. C. F. Nelson; and the Mil ister for Education, Tuatagah Leutele.

The three new names in Cabin are the Minister for Health, Tufui Fatu; the Minister for Finance, M G. F. D. Betham; and the Minisfc for Agriculture, Asiata Lagolago.

The three new Ministers £ actively participated in the previoi Legislative Assembly, and M Betham sometimes strongly criticise government policy.

Some Criticism

They replace in Cabinet Lus manuvae and Mr. E, F. Paul (neith of whom stood for re-election). ar the former Minister of Agricultur Tualaulelei Mauri, who lost his sea in the elections.

The new Cabinet has not had tH undivided approval of either til Assembly or the public. Some peopi feel it would have been wiser f< the Prime Minister to have appoints a complete new Cabinet, and ! strengthen his position with til many new members of the Assembll Following the elections, more tha half the members are newcomers t the political scene.

As predicted ( PIM , Jan., p. 17 there was a tendency by the Samoa; electorates to elect younger and pre sumably more active representative In 41 of the Samoan constitu encies, 21 nominated only one can didate who was thus elected with out a ballot. Two constituencies di not nominate candidates by tli

(Continued on p. 141)

time nominations closed, and by elections will be held in these elec torates in March. Elections were held in the remaining 18 constitu encies.

One New Face There was only one new face among the five men elected on the European roll —that of Mr. A. M.

Gurau.

In his long residence in West

Samoa (he recently celebrated his 75th birthday and has been in Samoa since he was a young man) Mr.

Gurau has served on two previous Assemblies.

Eight candidates nominated for the five European seats. The four sitting members, re-elected, were Messrs. G. F. D. Betham, H. J.

Keil, F. C. F. Nelson and P. Plow man. Mr. E. F. Paul was the man who did not stand.

Petitions have been submitted to the Apia High Court alleging elec tion offences in the European elec torate, and in the Samoa constitu encies of Palauli East (where the Minister of Agriculture lost his seat) and Faasaleleaga No. 1.

The Legislative Assembly Budget session will probably begin in the last week of March.

The UN Plebiscite on independ ence will take place on May 9.

See “The Story behind Samoa’s Forth coming Plebiscite”, p, 29”.