A.-4,

APPENDICES. APPENDIX A. Administrator's Address to Fono of Faipule, 24th May, 1927. It is with great pleasure that I meet you, the Faipules and representatives of the people in every district of Samoa, in this our first Fono of the present year. Since we last met together three representatives of Samoa —viz., one Fautua and two Faipules — have visited New Zealand to greet His Royal Highness the Duke of York and to convey from the Samoan people and the Tokelau-Islanders a message of loyalty to His Most Gracious Majesty King George V. His Royal Highness was deeply touched by your loyal message, and will ever remember the Samoan people and their expressions of devotion. In March last I was called away from Samoa to take part in a Commission concerning matters in the New Hebrides. During my six weeks absence I visited many places in the South Pacific, and I saw no country where Natives were better cared for than in Samoa. On the 2nd May last we received the sad news of the death of Mr. Griffin, Secretary for Native Affairs. This news cast a gloom over all Samoa, for Mr. Griffin was personally known by nearly the whole of the Native race, for whom he had worked for the past twenty-seven years. He loved the Samoan people, and his death was hastened by the strenuous work he did on their behalf. He was a man of noble character who did not consider his own interests alone, but carried out his duties fearlessly in the interests of righteousness, truth, and the welfare of Samoa. Like all persons in authority who carry out their duties impartially, he had his enemies, whose attacks and criticisms cannot, however, diminish the honour due to him, or tarnish in the slightest degree the good name and reputation he bore. Mr. Lewis, who has succeeded Mr. Griffin, will have a hard task, and needs your help and co-operation. His past record should be sufficient to command your confidence. He fought as a soldier in the Great War, he risked his life for his country, and knows what true sacrifice for others means. After serving his country in war he came to Samoa as a missionary to help uplift the Samoan people. At my pressing request two years ago he agreed to leave the mission and join the Government, in order to help Mr. Griffin and the Government in its work for the Samoan people. He is prepared to help you, to advise and lead you aright. He, like Mr. Griffin, will, I know, carry out his duties faithfully and impartially, and therefore may have enemies and criticizers ; but all you in authority who have difficulties yourselves to overcome know the difficulties the Secretary of Native Affairs has to contend with, and therefore I ask you all to give him your loyal support. We are delighted to-day to have with us Tuatagaloa, whose long record of faithful ser/ice in Samoa was interrupted two years ago by sickness," necessitating his going to Makogai for treatment. His complete recovery to good health causes us to thank God and rejoice, and we pray that Tuatagaloa may be spared for many years to carry on the good work of Faipule for his district, and help all Samoa in this Fono by his wise counsel. I am pleased to welcome the following Faipules who have been appointed since our last Fono— viz., Tupuola and Tafua. I remind them and you all that you are assembled here to deal with purely Native matters, and that the Government wishes you to speak with the true voice of the great majority of your people. In your "work here do not consider your own personal interests, but the welfare of the whole of Samoa. The following brief notes concerning Samoa during the past year are supplied for your information. 1. The amount of copra exported last year was under 13,000 tons. The Natives cut 1,800 tons less than the previous year, which means that they had £18,000 less money to spend, or 10s. less per head—men, women, and children. 2. The trade of the country was affected by both the reduced quantity and price of copra, so that Europeans and Samoans were all less prosperous than in the previous year. 3. The increase in the Samoan-population was the greatest on record, excess of births over deaths being 1,242. This shows a great improvement in the health of the people, and proves the value of the good work done by doctors, nurses, Village and Women's Committees. 4. The population of the Samoan Native people in this Territory is now nearly 39,000, and the total population is over 42,000. 5. There are nearly 2,500 pupils in the forty-two schools under Government direction. The Government and missions are working well together to uplift and educate the Samoan people. The Technical School in Apia for teaching boys trades, &c., is well attended. 6. Money spent on education last year was nearly £10,000. 7. Only a few villages are carrying out the instructions to make cacao plantations. 8. The ship purchased by New Zealand to carry bananas to New Zealand is being built in England. Recent reports state that it will be completed by the end of this year. 9. Although a larger amount of cotton was grown last year than the previous year, the Natives still fail to realize fully how they could increase their wealth by making more cotton plantations. 10. A number of districts have allocated land to tauleleas, so that every taxpayer in these districts has land to cultivate and so create wealth for himself and his district. 11. The Prison Farm at Tuvao is a great success, and prisoners are there learning how to cultivate land and other things which will be beneficial to them when they return to their villages. 12. Some districts had a successful tree-planting day for Samoan children in November last. Other districts do not yet appreciate the value of assembling the children once a year for this purpose.

35