A.—4

24

Return of Criminal and Civil Cases before the High Court of -rt astern Samoa for Year Ist April, 1920, to 31st March, 1921. Additional to Ist Criminal Cases. September, 1921. Number of days on which Court sat .. .. .. ..113 87 Number of persons charged .. .. .. .. .. 493 250 Number of cases heard .. .. .. .. .. 379 250 Number of cases dismissed .. .. .. .. .. 107 69 Civil Cases. Number of days on which Court sat .. .. .. 4.1 36 Number of actions commenced .. .. .. 63 70 Number of actions heard .. .. .. .. 58 47 Number of judgments given.. .. .. .. 53 47 Number of cases withdrawn .. .. .. ..II 23 POLICE AND PRISONS. Reporting on the 31st March, 1921, the Commissioner of Police says as follows : — " Prior to the Great War the Germans employed Samoans as police under German officers. On the arrival of the occupying Force on the 29th August, 1914, the German officials vacated their posts. The military officer detailed to organize a Police Force explained the position to the Native police, who agreed to continue to serve under conditions of service similar to the past. Mr. W. J. Sim was appointed Commissioner of Police as from the 12th September, 1914. These Native police were dealt with as a unit separate and distinct from the military police of that time. On the 9th July, 1.915, Mr. Sim resigned his position to go on active service, and on the 10th of the following July Mr. F. Nash was appointed to succeed him. On the 12th December, 1916, Mr. Nash resigned also to go on active service, and from, that date the position of Commissioner of Police was joined with that of Provost-Marshal under Lieutenant J. W. Crampton, wlio assumed control of the dual positions as from the 13th December, 1916. One month later he resigned, and Captain Cotton was appointed in his stead. On the 26th May, 1.918, Captain Cotton relinquished these positions to enable, him to give his undivided attention to the Native Department. On the 28th May, 1918, Captain Gillespie was appointed to succeed Captain Cotton, and he held the position until, the 30th April, 1920, when he resigned to assume the post of Resident Commissioner at Aleipata. " On the Ist January, 1920, the Samoan Armed Constabulary, under Major Hill, relieved the military occupying Force. On the Ist of the following May Civil Administration was inaugurated. Major Hill, under the title, of Inspector-General, took over control of the Native police, and he continued in charge up to the 30th September. From the Ist October, 1920, Inspector H. Bennett performed the duties of Acting-Commissioner until the arrival of the present Commissioner on the 17th November, 1920. " Tho following Native police, who were members of the service under German rule, arc still in the service of the Department, the others, from one cause or another, having dropped out: — 1. Senior Sergeant Leautau. Date of joining, Ist October, 1905. 2. Sergeant Fua. Date of joining, Ist October, 1908. 3. Corporal Uli. Date of joining, Ist December, 1911. 4. Constable Vaavaai. Date of joining, 17th May, 1913. 5. Sergeant Seuili. Date of joining, Ist September, 1913. 6. Sergeant Meamea. Date of joining, Ist September, 1913. 7. Constable Ula. Date of joining, Ist March, 1914. 8. Corporal Tana. Date of joining, Ist March, 1914. " Extraneous Duties. —Owing to the unusual conditions existing under military occupation, and the smallness of the community, it was found necessary to require the police, to undertake duties not strictly police duties. Some of these duties are such as it is proper for the police to perform, while others are strictly not so ; but as opportunity permits no doubt they will, so far as is possible, be relieved of them. On the date of the arrival of the present Commissioner, the following duties devolved on this Department: (1) Fire-fighting and maintenance of plant; (2) burials and sexton's duties ; (3) municipal inspection (nuisances, &c.) ; (4) lighting and care of central office ; (5) licensing and inspection of vehicles ; (6) arms and ammunition, licensing and control ; (7) messenger service ; (8) ordnance stores and magazine (temporary care of) ; (9) immigration, passports, &c. ; (10) censorship of films ; (11) street lighting and cleaning ; (12) copra-inspection. " Nos. 5, 6, and 9 are usually performed by police. Nos. 1, 3, and 10 are undertaken because better arrangements cannot be made under the present conditions : this also applies to Nos. 4 and 8. The Public Works Department have taken over No. 11, which has been of benefit to this Department. That the police should control the messenger service, (No. 7) is also a convenient arrangement, as it affords a recruiting and training field for the regular police service. It is necessary these messengers be under some discipline and control. The duties of copra inspection (No. 12) have been recently assumed by the Department of Agriculture, affording further relief to this Department. As to No. 2 (burials), the police should bo relieved of this somewhat disagreeable and certainly extraneous work. Perhaps a convenient occasion may present itself to let a contract to some private person to act as undertaker and sexton. " Recruiting. —Except for special purposes, so far as the European police arc concerned, there is, so far as I can see, no alternative worth considering to that already adopted—viz., to obtain trained men on loan from the Now Zealand Police, Department. The system of recruiting Native police has been to obtain young men (of good family if possible) recommended by non-commissioned officers of the Native police or by responsible Native officials. If after inquiry and a personal interview a