A. —4b.

Mr. S. H. Meredith : I second the motion. The Chairman : We will now leave it to the vote. Motion put, and carried unanimously. The Chairman : Another matter which shall need to be decided upon to-night is that a telegram be sent to the Minister of External Affairs that it is the wish of this meeting that a delegation be sent to report these matters. I think that January steamer is the earliest that could be done. Therefore I should suggest to the meeting that the committee be empowered to send a telegram to the Minister of External Affairs asking him if he will receive this deputation by the January boat. Mr. G. Chisholm: I propose that a telegram be forwarded to the Minister of External Affairs that a delegation be sent up in the month of January. Mr. F. D. Baxter : I second the motion. Papalii (Ulumalautea, Apia) also proposed the motion. Vne, of Yaimoso also seconded the motion. Motion put and carried unanimously. The Chairman : The next matter is whether this meeting shall leave it to the committee to decide who shall go, or elect now who shall go. (Native) proposed that it be left to the committee. (Native) seconded the motion. Mr. 0. Chisholm : I propose that it be left in the hands of the committee. Mr. E. Paul: I second the motion. Motion put, and carried unanimously. The Chairman: It has been decided unanimously that it be left to the committee to decide who shall be the member of the delegation to be sent to Wellington, and the only thing now left is for the offertory to be taken up. Hon. Williams : The reports have been drawn up by the committees and are now nearly finished. Some are very lengthy, and we shall be here until daylight if they are all read out. I shall propose that the reports be not read, but be put up in some conspicuous place for all to read. Tufuau, of Solosolo : Before going any further, we of Solosolo wish to support the motions passed, and wish to give our contributions to the trip away,"right now. Chief Faumuina expressed the thanks of the committee to the meeting for the confidence placed in them, that the matter be left in the hands of the committee as to who are to be sent as delegates to New Zealand. He assured them that the committee was working not for themselves, but for the good of all, and further exhorted them to carry on the traditions of Samoans as a law-abiding race. The Chairman: We cannot resist thanking the other side for the cash contributed. Mr. Smyth has consented to act as treasurer, and Karauna Matau will act as secretary. We might consider the subject of these reports, and we shall continue with the meeting while the contributions go on. Is it your wish, gentlemen, that the matter of these reports, which are not quite finished, be left to another general meeting, or left to the committee to finish, and it be advertised in the paper that they be placed in a conspicuous place where they can be read. The matter before the meeting is whether the reports be finished and presented at a later meeting, or open for inspection by any member of the public at a later date, or whether parts of the reports be read to-night. Mr. F. Wilson : I suggest that part of the reports be read to-night. Mr. G. Chisholm : I second the motion. Motion put and carried. Report on Legislative system read by chairman. Briefly,— 1. Formation of Legislative Council, with nominated members, 1920. 2. Provision in 1923 for three elected members, and elections. 3. Impotency of elected members under present conditions with Government majority in Council. 4. Compared Samoan Legislative Council unfavourably with that of Fiji. Fiji equal number of elected and official members, with appeal to Colonial Office if elected members voted en bloc. 5. Faipules a nominated and not an elective body. Reports on Medical Department read by Hon. Williams. Briefly,— 1. The C.M.O. should be an efficient surgeon and physician. 2. Both Samoans and Europeans have no confidence in Medical Department—go to Pago Pago for operations. Tutuila smaller place than Western Samoa, yet can get good medical officers. 3. Want a Department that inspires confidence, and not one that brings ridicule on the Territory. •1. Private practitioners needed. Formerly four private doctors did well. At present no competition or incentive to doctors to do their work well. 5. Native community dissatisfied with doctors. Especially since enforcement of medical tax, they have been lax and careless in treatment of patients. 6. Proper encouragement should be given to Native medical practitioners. 7. Lift medical tax. Districts with no facilities for attention still have to pay same tax. 8. White nurses —Samoa, nine ; Fiji, six ; Tonga, one. Term of their engagement should be extended from eighteen months to three years. In 1924 144 in-patients at Hospital—sixteen per nurse per annum. 9. Two Sanitary Inspectors Samoa—one at £500 per annum ; one at £380 per annum. In Fiji only one at £250. Senior Sanitary Inspector Samoa, £500 per annum and free motor-cycle. Responsible official like Postmaster and in charge of Savings-bank deposits, £515 and no allowances. 10. Secretary Hospital, £310 and free conveyance. Positions such as these could easily be filled locally, cheaper.

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