A.—4 b.

Native Affairs. 1. That the administration of Native affairs in the Territory of Western Samoa has been tactless and unwise, in that insufficient regard has, been taken of Native social and political systems, and of Native customs, beliefs, and wishes. 2. That the Administrator of Western Samoa has exceeded his authority in that he has approved of or assented to regulations purporting to have been passed by the Fono of Faipules, and, in particular, regulations affecting— (1) Division of Native lands to provide for individual ownership. (2) Making of wills. (3) Succession of titles of chiefs. (4) Registration of births and deaths. (5) Burials. (6) Limitation of days for Native games, such as cricket and football. (7) Prohibition on contracting debts with traders. ' (8) Fa'a-Samoa marriages. (9) Restriction on young men and girls leaving their districts to reside in or near the Town of Apia. (10) Care of animals. (11) Duties of District Councils and Village Committees. 3. That all Faipules are not qualified in accordance with existing Native usage and custom to represent their districts, for the reasons that they have not been selected according to Native custom and/or that they have received appointments for unlimited periods. 4. That the said Faipules do not hold the confidence of the Native Samoans, for the reasons that — (a) They hold office during the pleasure of the Administrator, and not of their districts. (Ib) They do not faithfully convey to the Administrator of Western Samoa the complaints, desires, and wishes of their districts or of the individual inhabitants thereof, and/or do not duly advise their districts and the individual inhabitants of the decisions of the said Administrator and of the Fono of Faipules. 5. That under the provisions of the Native Regulations (Samoa) Order, 1925, the Faipules were granted administrative and other powers in respect of the districts under their control without the Ali'i and Faipule of such districts being given an opportunity of expressing their opinions as to whether or not the Faipules then in office were still acceptable to such districts under and in view of the provisions of the said order. 6. That the Administration of Western Samoa has lost the confidence of the Natives for the reasons hereinbefore set forth, and for the further reason that the only Native opinions and advice sought by the said Administration are the opinions and advice of the said Faipules. The Growth of the Mau. 1. That the Administrator of Western Samoa has accused the Citizens Committee and the members thereof collectively and individually, in general terms and without any lawful justification, of sedition, of disloyalty, and of disaffecting for ulterior motives and material gain a peaceful, contented, and lawabiding Native community. 2. That the Administrator of Western Samoa wilfully or negligently failed to deliver to the Citizens Committee or any member thereof specific details or allegations in respect of such charges of sedition, disloyalty, and disaffecting as aforesaid, notwithstanding that the Citizens Committee and individual members thereof did request the said Administrator to supply such specific details and allegations to enable them to refute the same. 3. That the Administration of Western Samoa did refuse to accept or consider representations from Samoans unless and until such representations had been submitted to the Fono of Faipules, notwithstanding that some of the said representations were in respect of the said Faipules. 4. That the Administrator of Western Samoa did endeavour to intimidate supporters of the Mau (including members of the Citizens Committee), in that without reasonable justification he did threaten that the European members of the. Citizens Committee would be deported without trial, and did issue against various Native members of the Mau removal orders under the provisions of the Samoan Offenders Ordinance, 1922. 5. That a state of serious unrest was occasioned in Western Samoa by reason of the allegations set forth in the four preceding paragraphs. F. D. Baxter, Counsel for the Mau. Apia, Samoa, 29th October, 1927. The Secretary, The Royal Commission on Samoan Affairs, Apia. Dear Sie, — Directed by Mr. Baxter, I beg to forward you herewith " Specific Complaints " against the Administration of Western Samoa in so far as the matters mentioned have been entrusted to me during the sittings of the Royal Commission. It is intended that my statements will follow on those of Mr. Baxter. Yours obediently, Thos. B. Slipper.

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