39

A.—4

VI. MILITARY CLAUSES. 1. Are there any fortresses or military or naval bases ? 2. What arc, the forms of Native military organization and instruction ? 3. Are there any police forces, independent of the military, charged with the defence of the Territory ? What is the respective importance of these two forces, and the; amount spent on each ? 4. In what respect is the military organization of the Mandate;d Territory fiifferent from that in force in the neighbouring possessions of the Mandatory Powe;r ? 1-2. There are none. 3. There is no military organization in the Territory. VII. ECONOMIC EQUALITY. 1. What derogations are there to the principle of economic equality as regards—(a) Concessions, (b) land tenure, (c) mining rights (in particular, prospecting), (d) fiscal regime (direct and indirect taxation), (c) Customs regulations (imports, exports, transit) ? 2. What immigration laws arc there '{ 1. (re), (6), (0), (d). None;. (c.) An import duty of 22J per cent, on non-British goods, as against 15 per cent, on British goods. German and Austrian goods have not been allowed to be; imported without a license from the executive, authority, but this restriction is being removed as from the Ist April, 1924. 2. See Samoa Immigration Consolidation Order, 1924. VIII. EDUCATION. 1. What steps are being takem for the elementary education of the; Natives of the Territory (organization and statistics) ? Is this education free to all Natives, and, if not, in what cases is it free ? 2. What steps are being taken to provide for higher education of the Natives, such as medical, veterinary, and technical ? 3. In what languages is instruction given in the different categories of schools ? 4. Are mission schools compelled to submit to certain conditions ? If so, what ? 1, In the past the elementary education of the Natives has been almost entirely in the hands of the missions, and in the interests of the Natives themselves it is intended that it should remain so. The; London Mission Society, the Methodist Mission, and the Roman Catholic Mission principally, and to a lesser extent the Church of the Latter Day Saints and Seventh-Day Adventists, have for many years past carried on the work of education in the Territory, and the proof of the sterling work accomplished by them is in the fact that few, if any, Samoans are; unable to read and write in the vernacular. The organization of the schools is referred to under the heading of " Education Department " earlier in this report. The numbers being educated by the various missions during the past year were —London Missionary Society, 7,002; Methodist Mission, 2,021; Roman Catholic Mission, 1,874; Latter-day Saints Mission, 485. There are also the Marist Brothers and Marist Sisters' Schools in Apia, with a roll number of 320 and 200 respectively. The Administration, in addition to a school for white and half-caste children (roll number 208, made up chiefly of half-caste children) has a school for Native boys and girls in Apia, with a roll number of 283, and a school for boys at Vaipouli (Savai'i), with a roll number of 89. Education in purely Native schools is free, but a small charge is made at schools established for whites and half-castes. 2. Medical. —The Education Department arranges for tuition, in English only, for selected halfcaste nurses and Native cadets employed by the Medical Department, which is responsible for the l following course of training organized by the; Medical authorities. Samoan nurses : Twelve suitable girls, drawn largely through the missionary societies, but not, restricted to these sources, are engaged as probationer nurses at the Apia Hospital, They do the; work of a probationer nurse in the ward (both Europe;an and Samoan) under the supervision of the white; Sisters. They receive theoretical instruction from the; Matron and Superintendent. The; lectures are devoted to general medical principles, to the special diseases prevalent, in Samoa, and to the easels of children and infants. At the end of two years they are examined and, if suitable, are sent to out-stations for a further year's service under the District Meelical Officer. They are also sent to the mission dispensaries, where they reside;. The missionary supervises them, and the service rendered by these trained nurse;s is much appreciated. The contract terminates at the end cd' three years, but they may re-engage if they so desire for a further period. Samoan Medical Cadets : This movement, though in its infancy, has increased steadily during the year. Ten suitable youths are engaged as cadets at the hospital. They help in tho practical work in the wards and the- out-patient department. They receive theoretical instruction in elementary anatomy and physiology, materia medica, and therapeutics. They receive lectures- - theoretical and clinical —in medicine and surgery as it applies to Samoa. No attempt is made; to give them a comprehensive knowledge of medicine. Only such diseases as are likely to be seen in Samoa are dealt with, and the aim is to make them thoroughly conversant with the common ailments. They are not encouraged to undertake serious eases beyond their capabilities. Operative work is confined to the opening of superficial abscesses. More serious cases are sent to the hospital. The;