From the islands press

IT is quite common today to regard tourism as a major industry designed to bring economic growth to American Samoa. This is a correct attitude.

Many countries have benefited from tourism. Spain, Puerto Rico and Hawaii are some examples of these countries. But people must also have regard for other industries, which though less glamorous, will benefit the people of American Samoa just the same. . . .

How about providing for other industries, a sewing industry, for instance? Hawaii is benefiting from a sewing industry. There is no reason why American Samoa cannot benefit from the same industry.

Perhaps a good thing for us to look into would be to hire experts who would carry out an economic survey of what inare feasible and best suited in American Samoa. The Government should accept what ever recommendations these ex perts make, particularly those which are of immediate benefit to the country such as food in dustries. The fishing industries in American Samoa serve their purpose well and there could be more food industries like them, possibly.

Widening the economy would undoubtably benefit the people of American Samoa and common sense tells us that now is the time to start. — Editorial in the “Samoa Times”, Pago Pago.

THE news that President Johnson has increased hur ricane relief grants to American Samoa to $1,735,750, roughly three times the amount being sought by the Western Samoan Government, serves once more only to emphasise the tragic lack of imagination in those who con trol the finances of this country [Western Samoa], The hurricane gave a heaven sent opportunity for plantation rehabilitation and a stimulated agricultural and reading pro gramme on a grand scale. Any aid sought as a result of hurricane devastation should have taken into consideration the long-term

implications beyond immediate

restoration.

Obviously, even if the wind in American Samoa was slightly stronger, the 20,000 people of that island could not possibly have suffered as much damage as the 120,000 people of Western Samoa. The difference in the amount of aid sought and forth coming is entirely resulting from the different approach to the future by the Administration in each island. Governor Lee has approached the problem with imagination that even half a dozen financial advisers seem unable to instil into the financial leaders of Samoa.— Editorial in “Samoana", Apia.

THE Hovercraft is not cheap either to buy or to operate and maintain. As a result, the routes on which such vessels could operate economically would need to have an existing or potential demand for passenger or freight services which would make sure that the Hovercraft would earn money, in fares or freight charges, from pretty constant daily use.

Yet services create demand, and it is not difficult to see the pos sibilities of regular services, say, between Lautoka or Nadi Air port and Suva along the south Viti Levu coast, with calls along the way at established townships such as Sigatoka and Navua, at islands like Serua, and at the growing number of beach resorts on the route. , . .

The possibilities are there. . , .

They offer a field of investiga tion not only by the Government and outside official planners, but also by private investors seeking fields of operation in Fiji.— Editorial in “The Fiji Times”, Suva.

WHEN walking down towards Temakin on Betio taking the lagoon road just by the sea side, and before you get to the old Japanese bunker, on your right close to the beach, you will find a new, well-made small brick house.

People been wondering much about this brick house and have heard lately that this brick

house was built for them as their lavatory.

Most people said, “If this lavatory was built for us, why don’t they make it the same as the ones used in offices and others which have their pumps mounted above their basins that you just press the button and the water flows into the septic tank!”

Now in this new lavatory . . . all you have to do after you use the basin is to get a bucket of water from the water tank pro vided, then clean the basin by pouring water into it. This is much bother and ... is no better than the reef latrine which nobody cleans but the sea.

If this lavatory be used, then there must be one man to watch it, to see that each individual person uses the bucket before leaving the lavatory, round the clock otherwise we’ll find all basins topped up the next morning with flies all over.— Letter from “On Lookers” in “Colony Infor mation Notes”, Tarawa, GEIC.

THE concern expressed by Mr, C. B. Goodsell and the Employers Federation of Papua and New Guinea for the establish ment of a Housing Commission and the provision of low cost housing for indigenous workers is welcome.

May I be allowed to make one point, however, Our most urgent need is not so much for provision for people who want to build their own houses or buy houses on a rent-purchase agreement (important as this is), but for the provision of low cost housing which can be rented on a week by week or month by month basis by indigenous workers of limited means.

Many of these workers have not committed themselves irre vocably to an urban life. They still maintain links with their folk in their home villages, and have ideas of going back there later on.

Surely the last thing we want to do is to force these people to commit themselves to the owner ship of a house in town by failing to provide the alternative of rented accomodation.

The problems of urbanisation are going to be difficult enough without our going out of our way to make them more difficult.— Letter from Percy Chatterton in the “South Pacific Post”, Port Moresby.