Astute Mr. Spence Looks

West Samoa Over

A Samoan News Round-up from “PlM’s” Apia Correspondent

Apia.

Following the advent of indepen dence, the most important event in January has been the visit of United Nations Regional Representative for South East Asia, Mr. Harry Spence.

Mr. Spence came as personal repre sentative for UN Secretary General U Thant to Samoa’s independence celebrations, and on behalf of the United Nations he also made a two weeks’ study of how the UN could best assist the newly independent Samoan Government.

AVERY astute person, Mr. Spence gained considerable respect dur ing the short time he was here and his observations on the state of Samoa’s economy were very much to the point. His report to Cabinet has not been made public but in an inter view he said that Samoa should ex pect to use expatriate personnel in key positions for at least 15 years; provided resources are utilised and

developed properly, Samoa can sus tain its anticipated huge increase in population; agriculture is of top priority and increased production from existing plantations first con cern; the system of land tenure will slow up development but development is still possible under the system; a better standard of living and increased production will result from the efforts of the people themselves; and a change of policy is necessary to con vince the people that the Government is a Government of Western Samoa and not just a Government of Apia.

He also did not believe Samoans were content with their present way of life and Samoan custom but that they did want the amenities of modern living; an urban area must be built up in Savaii or the people would leave that island; and that pro vided the Government does not show indecision and lack of policy, the successful implementation of a de velopment plan with set targets is

possible, provided the plan can “sold” to the people.

Mr. Spence envisaged prelimin assistance from the UN in the fc of five or six experts in fields de nated by the Samoan Governm and a similar number of fellowsl for more senior Samoans who wc be used in expanding Government tension services, particularly in field of agriculture.

He emphasised that before assistance will be given it must formally requested by the Sam Government.

Another visitor concerned ] UN assistance to Samoa was J fessor T, L. Green who spent a v surveying the educational needs Samoa. He too amazed local pei by his rapidly formed but remarks perceptive appraisal of the situal Head of the School of Educatioi the University of Malaya, Singap Professor Green has been used fore by UNESCO on similar ass ments. It is expected that follow his recommendations greater atten in the near future will be pak adult education, long neglected the Samoan education set-up.

OVERSEAS Press reports publii prior to independence, predk violence and claiming that feai

i was widespread among Enro ls in Samoa, have caused concern ng Samoans both here and in r Zealand.

MOTHER matter giving some con cern and cause for a good deal criticism has been the general esty given prisoners at Tafaigata I, Samoa’s only prison, to mark 3ccasion of independence, n interesting legal point still to decided, and apparently not ght about at the time of the ssty, is what is to happen to ! pending. The Court is well id schedule and it can be easily n that many of those facing trial d have been behind bars—so free—had their cases come up nut delay! Who is to say that i people should now go to prison use their trials were delayed?

COMMON rumour in Apia of another airline starting up be n Western and American Samoa given substance in January by cation made to aviation authori ties and in New Zealand for a service by an amphibian Sea Bee :d by former Samoan Airlines Robert Cox. It will carry four ngers and freight and it is led that their passengers will be ago Pago by the time it takes airline passengers to get from to Faleolo airport, lynesian Airlines ran into more >le just after New Year when one eir pilots was dismissed after an snt in the air.

E Miss Samoa contest sponsored by the Samoan bi-lingual weekly wna was won by 19-year-old a Fabricius with over 7,000 of 8,000 readers’ votes cast during ive weeks before independence, and her chaperone, as yet un ed, win a free return trip to ilulu by PAA.

ILIMA, home of Robert Louis Stevenson and for 42 years resi : of New Zealand administrators Western Samoa, has now been over by the Samoan Govern- A move to convert the build into Government offices was ied by Prime Minister Mataafa it has been decided that apart the setting-up there of the offices e Heads of State the building ic preserved in its present form retained for official functions, first of these functions was a ail party held by Mataafa to ime UN representative Spence, iv £20,000 residence for the New nd High Commissioner is ex

pected to be completed in another few months one-half mile above Vailima, and it will be occupied by High Commissioner J. B. Wright and Mrs. Wright shortly after their return from New Zealand where they are now on holiday with two of their sons -

Ci Tcxm/fc «• , • .

USIUMS officials in Apia are now in uniform. This is an innovation of Controller of Customs Vincent Brebner, a local appointee who is making an outstanding success of his job. It will eliminate the practice, occasionally reported, of strangers impersonating Customs officers and collecting dues off ships’ passengers at the Customs jetty.