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repatriated at the end of that time. It is believed that this will lessen the chances of racial admixture, since it takes practically that time for a Chinese to learn the language, and to ingratiate himself sufficiently with a Samoan woman to induce her to cast in her lot with him. When the matter came to be debated before the New Zealand Parliament, Mr H. E. Holland, the leader of the Labour Party, moved an amendment opposing indentured labour, and it was rejected by 33 votes

to 11.

With an adequate supply of labour and careful administration there is reason to believe that not only will New Zealand be able to carry out the Mandate without cost to the New Zealand taxpayer, but that funds will be available for further development, and that ultimately there may be something over towards the reparation payments due by Germany. The position is briefly as follows: First, property owned by the German Government, such as the residence of the Governor and the wireless station, passes over to the Mandatory without payment of any kind. Next, landed properties belonging to German Companies or individuals are taken over and form part of what are now known as the Crown Estates of New Zealand. These are all valued; and the German Government, having been notified through the Clearing House established to deal with these matters, is required to pay the amount of the valuation to the German owners, and it is credited to the German Government, as part of the reparation payments. As regards the personal property of the Germans who have been repatriated, they have been allowed to take it away with them; or the New Zealand Government has undertaken to remit the proceeds of the sale of such goods to their address in Germany.

The trading concerns carried on by the Germans were liquidated by the Military Administrator, very much to the advantage, it may be observed, of the British trading firms, who were thus relieved of powerful competitors, and are understood to have done extremely well in consequence. The landed properties taken over under the Mandate are roughly estimated as being worth a million sterling.

They were very profitable to the

German Company. They were carried on as commercial plantations by the Military Liquidator between the date of occupation and the institution of civil government on May 1, 1920; and during that period the accumulated net profits amounted to no less than 200,000l. There is reason to expect that, if properly worked, they will continue to yield handsome returns, although the recent heavy fall in the price of copra and other tropical products will, of course, materially affect the result.

But the New Zealand Government does not consider that its duty as Mandatory is simply to administer the colony with the fixed idea of making as much profit as possible to be charged against the German indemnity. It recognises that its first duty is to the natives, and that, both in their interest and that of the European residents, a great deal has to be done in matters of public health, education, and necessary public works. It is satisfactory to be able to state that it is making the health of the natives its first consideration. It is a popular fallacy, largely due to the poetical exaggerations of lady writers, to imagine that all Samoan men are living bronze statues,' full of manly health and beauty, and that Samoan women, with their open-air life and freedom from corsets and other crippling forms of dress, enjoy some special immunity from bodily ailments. The band of enthusiasts who were recently reported to be repairing to some South Sea island, 'to live the simple life,' expecting to escape all the diseases and other ills supposed to be peculiar to European civilisation, would meet with a sad disillusionment if they carried out their idea. It is true that the Samoans are a fine race, and that some splendid specimens of humanity, both male and female, are to be found among them. But they suffer from many serious tropical diseases, and fall easy victims to the maladies introduced by Europeans.

The recent epidemic of influenza, it is estimated, swept away 7543 natives, or nearly 19 per cent. of the population. In common with other Pacific Islanders, the Samoans suffer from yaws (framboesia), malaria, and elephantiasis. The first-named is due to a spirochete in the blood, and appears to have some affinity with syphilis. Of ordinary venereal disease, however, there appears to be very little in the islands. The most

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appalling fact in connexion with the health of the Samoans is the discovery that about 90 per cent. of them are suffering from hookworm (ankylostomiasis). This disease is due to a parasite which settles in the intestines, and slowly but surely saps the vitality of the victim, so that he becomes anæmic, listless, and more susceptible to such diseases as malaria, typhoid, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. It has been suggested that the Samoans' well-known disinclination to undertake sustained work may be partly due to this disease. The larvae of the worm may be swallowed with food, or may gain access to the body through tender folds of the skin, such as between the toes. It is, therefore, dangerous to walk about with bare feet in a place like Samoa, where the soil is likely to be polluted by excreta from patients suffering with hookworm. Fortunately it is not difficult of cure. In Queensland, where the disease is also prevalent, oil of chenopodium has been found very efficacious, and has largely superseded thymol, which has been used in Samoa with good results.

In its efforts to improve the health of the Samoans the New Zealand Government was fortunate in being able to secure the services as pathologist of Dr F. N. O'Connor, who has been for the last two or three years conducting investigations into filariasis in the Pacific Islands on behalf of the London School of Tropical Medicine. Dr Trail, a skilful New Zealand doctor, who has the confidence of the natives, is Medical Superintendent of the Hospital at Apia; and the rest of the staff includes a young New Zealand doctor, trained in Public Health, who was sent to Queensland to study the methods adopted there to combat hookworm. It is obvious that it is not sufficient to cure the patients suffering from the disease, but that, in order to prevent a recurrence, the sanitary condition of the place must be improved, and that, in particular, soil pollution must be prevented. The Government proposes to provide a proper drainage system and a water supply for the town of Apia. The hospital is to be enlarged and brought up to date. Samoan lads are being trained as medical orderlies, and Samoan girls as nurses. Resident medical officers, or trained nurses, will be installed in outlying districts. One of the conditions of the Mandate is that no

intoxicating liquor shall be supplied to the natives. The Government came to the conclusion that the only effective way of carrying out this part of the Mandate was to bring all the population, European 'as well as Samoan, under total prohibition. By the Constitution, gazetted on May 1, 1920, the sale, manufacture, and importation of alcoholic liquors are prohibited, the only exception being that alcohol for sacramental, medical, and industrial purposes may be imported in limited quantities through Government officials. It was evident to the Parliamentary party that prohibition is very unpopular with the European population. The Samoans like their national beverage, kava, which is harmless to their health; and only a few of those living in or near Apia have acquired a craving for alcoholic drink.

So far as education is concerned, excellent work has been done by the missionary agencies. The Roman Catholics and Wesleyans have roughly about 5000 children in their schools, and the London Missionary Society about 8000. It is said that probably not one per cent. of the Samoans are unable to read and write; and children of these village schools are enabled to reach a standard about equal to the fourth standard in the New Zealand schools. It is a great drawback, however, that the teaching is all in the vernacular, and very few learn English, although they are anxious to do so. During the German occupation the teaching of English was forbidden, except in the Marist Brothers' school in Apia, where it was allowed as an extra subject. Needless to say, religious training is a prominent feature in the missionary schools, while in New Zealand there is great antipathy to public money being used for any form of denominational education. The advantages of allowing the missionaries to continue their present work are so great, however, that the Government will no doubt welcome its continuance, and content itself with making provision for the teaching of English in the primary schools, and establishing other institutions in which the more promising Samoan scholars may receive secondary and technical education. In course of time, no doubt, some of these will have an opportunity of taking university courses in New Zealand, as is done by the more gifted youths among the Maoris.

This article would not be complete without reference to the very fine geo-physical observatory established by the Germans at Apia, which the New Zealand Government are most anxious to carry on. When the war broke out, this was under the charge of Dr Angenheister, a German physicist of world-wide reputation. Throughout the great conflict he kept steadily at his scientific work, making and tabulating his observations as if nothing unusual were happening to distract his attention. By common testimony he kept himself entirely free from political intrigue of any kind. The Observatory was started with funds partly supplied by the University of Göttingen; and it is not yet clear how far it was a German State institution. When the war cut off the supply of funds from Germany, Dr Angenheister used his own private means and credit to keep the institution going. The Observatory is splendidly equipped, especially for the observation of electrical and magnetic currents; and Dr Marston, Professor of Physics at Victoria College, Wellington, who was deputed by the Government to report on the institution, speaks in the highest terms of the value of the work which has been already done, and the importance of continuing it. The New Zealand Government, in view of the international importance of the work, suggested that the expense should be jointly borne by the Governments of New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The Admiralty agreed to bear part of the expense, but negotiations with the other Governments were not successful. At first it was hoped that Dr Angenheister would continue the work, and he expressed his willingness to do so, but, when the negotiations became prolonged, he ultimately decided to return to Germany. Finally the Carnegie Institute came to the rescue, and agreed not only to assist with funds, but also to supply experts to carry on the observations.

Sufficient, no doubt, has been said to show that the task imposed upon the New Zealand Government by the Mandate is one of great interest as well as responsibility. Both the Government and the people of the Dominion are sincerely desirous of carrying it out in such a manner as to prove them faithful stewards of the trust committed to them.

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