Samoa, Fiji Have Many

Similar Headaches

The remarkable similarity in the political and economic oblems now being faced by the Governments of Western imoa and of Fiji were pointed out recently in a broadcast Idress by Professor Kenneth B. Cumberland, Professor of eography at the University of Auckland. A PIM writer has mmarised hereunder the statements made by Professor Gum- Mane!, in relation to Western Samoa, and has added, in Iferent type, a summary of the similar position in Fiji.

MOA: After New Zealand took Western Samoa in 1914-18, and 1 with the influenza epidemic I) and the Mau troubles (1927the Samoan population did not d 40,000. Now, it is 115,000, 'rowing at the very high rate of :r thousand per annum. Nearly his population is under 15 years e. 7; The Fijian race, like the an, made a remarkable natural ise after 1920, and its birthrate runs at 28-30 per thousand. On f that, the Indian community of representing more than half the population, has a phenomenal al increase of over 40 per and. :STERN SAMOA’S lands are one-quarter the size of those on .evu, Fiji’s biggest island. Much i Samoan land near the villages preaching exhaustion. There is ising danger that food produc vill fall short of present needs, under present conditions that ation will double itself in 20 1: Very similar conditions apply 7, in relation to population in ■ and land availability. Under d and guidance, Fiji’s lands can rt two or three times the pre oopulation. Without such con here will be economic and social 'es within a short time.

MOA: Present appearances of srity are deceptive—the result ?h prices for copra, cocoa and as. The present per capita ction actually is less than when ook over Western Samoa 47 ago. Prime Minister Mataafa ankly admitted that “a look into iiture causes me concern”— h of population in relation to physical resources.

VS production figure per capita available, but probably it shows

a similar picture. The Indian and European communities are quite willing to provide industry for increased production; but the facilities (primarily, land and, secondarily, capital) are not available. c a A/rrA a . t-u u i , . , , SAMOA. There has been (a) lack of a consistent policy and a concrete plan to take care of population growth, and (b) failure to co-ordinate social and political progress with economic progress. Blame for this is laid on the administering authority, New Zealand. NZ awakened to the danger five years ago, and acted accordingly—but got little response from Samoan leaders.

FIJI: Substitute “British Colonial Office” for “New Zealand”, and these sentences may be applied, with equal truth, to the situation in Fiji.

SAMOA: In recent years the Samoan Administration has spent available capital funds on health and

educational services, rather than on the vital services needed for in creasing production and feeding the growing population namely, agri culture, communications, electric power, water supplies, port develop ment, and similar public works.

Of more than £500,000 given to Samoa out of the profits of the former Reparation Estates, £322,000 went to schools and medical services, and only £lO,OOO to development of agriculture and land resources.

FIJI: The situation in Fiji is en tirely the same—as was pointed out, in forthright language, in the Burns Report of 1960. That is why the activities of the new Development Commissioner in Fiji, and of the Land Development Authority which he directs, are being watched with such anxious interest at present.

SAMOA: Improved medical ser vices have stimulated population in

'crease, while feeding and housing of the increased population thus created have not been adequately provided for.

Education has been misdirected Young Samoans have been assisted to wards academic and white-collar jobs, while insufficient effort has been given to training the much-needed agri culturists and technicians.

It must be recognised that if the country’s economy is to remain healthy, most of the Samoans now growing up must find their vocations in the villages, producing food for

subsistence and for sale overseas.

FIJI: The conditions are very similar in Fiji. Education aid should take the form of more facilities for the training of technicians, and defi nitely less for those seeking an academic career.

SAMOA; Desperate efforts have been made in the last five years to catch up. All sorts of resources sur veys have been made by public and private agencies. Much data has been accumulated. But many aspects of Samoan custom and tradition—and especially the unchanging system of

land tenure—remain as formida obstacles in the way of economic velopment.

There is lack of capital and technicians to apply the knowle< gained in the surveys.

The country has the natural sources needed to take care of population for at least another g eration. But how will the Governm and its advisers overcome the de rooted traditional handicaps now the way of economic development FIJI: This trouble is just as mar, in Fiji, where the Fijians own the h and, despite pressure from the la less Indians, are reluctant to m quickly or definitely in any direct which means a change in tradition t custom.

Samoa's Handicaps

If the present standards of liv in Samoa are to be only maintair says Professor Cumberland, San must immediately tackle— • The traditional system of 1; tenure. • The sharp distinctions betw the ruling groups of matai \ the under - privileged work men. • The traditional system of kerii (the obligation upon a man share his possessions with of members of his family groups • An indifferent approach to proved agricultural technique! • The unwillingness of capital, b external and internal, to eng in new enterprises with adequate political security. • The urgent need for more more technicians.

Plea for Regional Plan Professor Cumberland finally mz a plea that these problems be attac on a regional rather than a Terril or State basis.

He points out that these troul are common to several countries, argues briefly in favour of their b< attacked on a wide base. He viously is in favour of a concei effort by Australia and New Zeal to assist regional development, gional co-operation and regie trade.

“A Polynesian (or South Paci Plan could be equally as signific to the prestige and vital interests New Zealand as the Colombo Ph says Professor Cumberland.

If he would add the words Australia” after “New Zealand”, n readers could heartily endorse his gument. (See Commentary: “Ext Purpose and Charter of South Pa< Commision”, page 23.)