There's No Lock Of Confidence

A LETTER TO THE EDITORS FROM WESTERN

Samoa’S Minister Of Finance

There's No Lock Of Confidence In Samoa's Future

Sir, —Although our Independence celebrations were an un- Dubted success without a single incident throughout five days : exuberant national rejoicing, the earlier overseas Press reports ere for the most part unfavourable with sensational predictions ? ugly incidents, and were as unfounded as the dire predictions ; imminent bankruptcy and some of the other unfavourable )mments appearing in your March issue of the PIM.

L visiting dignataries without exception were notably im ed with such an epic beginning [dependence for Western Samoa, shared the sentiments expressed ir John Collins, Australia’s High missioner in New Zealand, to Prime Minister in these words: ic disgruntled Pressman had d around the world before the rations his doubts about the be >ur of the local inhabitants. He i great disservice to a cheerful, disciplined and happy people.” though a new era calls for a ition in thought and outlook, al comment very often stems a few who are not prepared to reality and adjustment to the conditions, and are inclined to lit the freedom of the Press to off their sentiments as an expres of public opinion, e “hit and run” articles of the privately owned circulating news 's, usually under convenient lonyms, contrast from the stan noted in the American Times Newsweek, whose correspondents the courage of their convictions mblicly identifying themselves articles.

Freedom of the Press

conditions in the home scene oo well known, with the radio ark also informing the people e full proceedings of the Legis : Assembly, our Government for aost part has not found it neces to correct, reprimand, or take about some of the misleading nents, half statements, and omis appearing under the freedom of Press, except where damaging injurious statements require em c refutation and correction, r this reason only I deem it nec- V to reply to the unfortunate alisations and series of non

sequiturs served up to your readers by PlM’s Apia correspondent in “A News Round-up of the West Samoan Scene” reported in your March issue.

Because of glaring inaccuracies I have again chosen the caption “Journalistic Bankruptcy” for this re ply as I did when I officially com mented on similar bankruptcy predic tions in the Sentinel in February last, a copy of which I enclose for your edification.

Matters of Sex

Your correspondent highlights the problems of sex and speaks of “the often free and easy sexual morality of the Polynesian Islands as exploited by novelists and travel agents”. It takes all types to make a world, good and bad, but as a proud Poly nesian one cannot but resent such sweeping generalities.

It is a pity that civilisation or pro gress in many countries records an alarming growth of immoral social behaviour, but should this unfor tunate trend be imputed to all coun tries, including the artist’s dream of the glamorous Pacific Islands? If homosexuality and other forms of perversion are not, as our Superin tendent of Police indicated, a prob lem in Western Samoa, why does your correspondent make a feature of this type of behaviour in his article?

The sensational claims “that Wes tern Samoa will be bankrupt before the end of the year” are as fantastic as they are unfounded. Many coun tries today are encountering financial difficulties and if they shared the gross pessimism and despair of your correspondent, and other doubting Thomases, they surely would go un der.

However, under the inspiring leadership of our Prime Minister, the Hon. Fiame Mata’afa M.F.11, Wes-

tern Samoa has already arrested a drifting imbalance of trade over the past two years (exports for the first quarter of 1962 are already ahead of imports for the first time over this long period) and reduced a budgetary deficit in 1961 of £411,051 to £223,207.

Our young nation’s first Indepen dence Budget tabled on March 29, 1962, was necessarily a full recapitu lation of our economic and financial situation on the take-over from Trus teeship status. ( PIM, May, p. 19.) Unlike the reaction to a “bank rupt” Budget, it met with the general acceptance and approbation of the nation as a whole through its elected representatives, as the verbatim re ports on the Budget debate will con firm.

'Disgruntled 7 Correspondents

Whose opinion is more meaningful and significant; that of the nation as expressed by its elected representa tives, or the sniping of a few dis gruntled correspondents? Further more, the Legislative Assembly on this occasion created an all-time re cord in disposing of the 1962 Esti mates in six bilingual sitting days, in contrast to eighteen and more pre viously.

Surely this exemplifies in no un certain manner the awareness of our parliamentarians to the responsibili ties of a young nation, and their apparent eagerness to get ahead with the task of implementing the vigorous and realistic policy of econ mic development advocated by the Prime Minister in a recent Statement to the nation, which was enthusiats tically received in all quarters. {PIM, May, p. 139.) The facts speak for themselves; these are deeds, not the idle and

Mr. G. F. D. Betham, Western Samoa's Minister of Finance.

empty outpourings of a partisian re porter.

May I conclude by saying that there is no lack of confidence in those who have Western Samoa’s welfare and well being at heart, and with the united efforts and co-opera tion of every proud Samoan, and the very friendly help and assistance of the United Nations, New Zealand, and other international friends, let me assure your readers that the chal lenge is invigorating, and no obstacle insurmountable, for a stronger and better Samoa in the future.

Rather than criticise for criticism’s sake, and cast unnecessary doubts, do you not think that words of en couragement from your magazine could be an inspiration to help un der-developed territories and young developing nations in the Pacific in de veloping the faith, hope, and charity that is so badly wanting in today’s troubled world, which is rapidly pro gressing towards a Space Age without solving the growing earthly problems of Mankind?

As this reply is an endeavour to relate the Western Samoa scene in its proper perspective I trust that as you have seen fit to publish your Apia correspondent’s view in full you will likewise accord me the same privilege.

Yours, G. F. D. Betham,

Minister Of Finance

Apia, Western Samoa • While we agree with Mr.

Betham that “a new era calls for a transition in thought and outlook”, we also subscribe to the old-fashioned view that honest criticism is good for Governments as well as people.

We don’t understand why Mr.

Betham begins by reminding us of the sensational predictions of mayhem by some of the overseas Press on independence eve, and then tying this in with PlM’s alleged “dire pre dictions of imminent bankruptcy”.

PIM readers would not unnatur ally think that he is accusing us of having made some of those ridiculous predictions of mayhem ourselves.

PlM’s coverage of that facet consisted of one paragraph—deploring the rubbish.

Nor did PIM, in fact, predict “im minent bankruptcy” for Samoa; or quote a hit - and - run anonymous source of having predicted bank ruptcy.

The article in our March issue which is the subject of complaint was from our Apia correspondent who re ported: “A front page article entitled ‘How Close to Bankruptcy?’ in Apia’s controversial English-language weekly

The Sentinel created quite a s among top officials and politicis . . .If present trends contim claimed Sentinel editor R. F. Rank in the article, Western Samoa will bankrupt before the end of the yea The PIM correspondent then w< on to quote from the Sentinel artic which gave some facts and figur and he wound up, “Governm< spokesmen claimed that [Rankir criticism is unfair and point to 1 recently released report of the E< nomic Development Committee. I out of this report no policy has be adopted and no specific project i proved. The Government’s difficult are amplified by poor public relatic and the reluctance of politicians a officials to talk freely to the Press”

Mr. Rankin’s criticism was just able. It turned out to be based on official memorandum. (PIM, Ap p. 35.) On the matter of sex: Our Same letter in March comprised sev columns of Samoan news, but oi three inches of that space referred the sex matter, which was apparen misread by Mr. Betham.

The Police Superintendent was fact quoted as saying that one foi of perversion was “the cause of great deal of official concern a was becoming increasingly commoi Mr. Betham’s uncomplimentary ] marks about the local Press are r our concern; nor do we apologise 1 PlM’s own reporting of Samoan ne pver the last 30 years. For most that time, until his death recent our correspondent there was Mr.

M. Gurau, MLA, whose love Samoa doesn’t need to be emphasist PlM’s continuing interest in task of reporting Samoa to the Sou Pacific and of reporting the Sou Pacific to Samoa was stressed h December when we gave over almc an entire issue to Samoan affairs, was an issue which received prai from Samoan leaders —The Edito A number of old Territorians we at St. Swithun’s Church, Pymbl NSW, on May 5 to see Miss Pat Evans marry Mr. Warren Milsom Sydney. A reception for about 1 guests was later given by the brid< parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hal Evar at Oatlands House, Dundas. T 1 bride was born in Madang and the third generation of the Eva: family to be associated with Ne Guinea. Mr. and Mrs. Hal Eva: lived in the Territory until a fe years ago and the bride’s gran parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. Beill Evans, who were also at her weddin left the Territory after long residem about the beginning of World War 1