A.—4b.

family or other chiefs who are related, and might result in my murdering somebody else on account of this law, which is going to break the peace. Mr. Meredith.] Which law is this ? —The subdividing of lands. There are a lot of coconut-trees wasted with this scheme of building model villages. They cut down a number of coconut-trees just for the purpose of making model villages. Mr. Baxter.] Is there anything else you want to say ?■ — I will not be satisfied with the giving-away of a portion of my land, to anybody else, whether it is cultivated or not. I have been working single-handed ; I cannot cultivate all my property at once. I cultivate a portion of it, and then continue cultivating. I will not be satisfied with giving away either a cultivated portion or an uncultivated portion. His Excellency wants to have an acre for coconuts, an acre for bananas, an acre for taamu, and that kind of thing, and I will not be able to do that single-handed. You are getting at this : if the land was divided up, as the scheme suggests, then men like you would not be able to cultivate their land, because they would not have any young men to work for them. Is that the idea I—Yes.1 —Yes. Regarding the division of the family land in this way, would that hold the family together or would it tend to break it up ?■ —No, it will not preserve good feeling in the family. It will only create trouble and murder. Will it keep the family together or will it break it up ? —lt will break up the family. About the Faipules : do you wish to say anything to their Honours about the Fono of Faipules ? —• Yes, I have quite a lot to say about that. Very well, proceed ? —The dissatisfaction against the Faipule is that they are overbearing by the authority given them by the Administrator. They think that they are the representatives of the Administrator. That is what they have given people to understand. In my opinion, that is not so. Mr. Meredith.] What is not so ?—That they should not use their authority or power to be overbearing to the people. In my opinion, there should be no Faipule. Mr. Baxter.] What are you driving at ? You say that they are not the representatives of the Administrator: well, who do you think they should represent if they do not represent the Administrator ?—They are only Government servants ; they are not representatives of anybody. Is there anything else you want to say about the Fono of Faipule —that is to say, the Faipule as a whole :we will talk about the individuals later on ?—I am not satisfied with the Faipule, because they have decided in a harsh manner. They have decided harshly against some of the Samoan people, which has caused dissatisfaction amongst the Samoan people. What are you referring to now ?—Take my own case, for instance —the taking away of my title and my banishment. They usurp the authority and powers of the chiefs and orators. By that authority peace and good order is maintained, and there is no trouble. By " that authority " what do you mean ? That while the chiefs and orators retained their authority there is no trouble, but through the Faipule usurping that authority, there is trouble ?— Yes, that is so. Is there anything further about the Fono of Faipule as a whole ?■—The Faipule all have different stories. When the Faipule meeting is over and they return to their districts, one Faipule tells his district that such-and-such was the position at the Fono, and another Faipule tells his district a totally different thing, and so this goes on. Anything further about the Faipule as a whole ?—I want to think out all the most important things, as this is an important point. It is difficult for us Samoans, because we have to keep all these things in our minds, and we do not make notes of them. Very well, tell us something else ? —The trouble with the Faipule is that when their meeting is ended they go home after having eaten very well of the biscuits and kegs of beef presented by the Administrator ; they go home and sit down and do not trouble to do anything for the good of the district. He does not use his position as a Faipule for the good of his district. That is the reason for the Mau and for the dissatisfaction of the people. Please leave the Fono as a whole now, and we will go on to the individual Faipule. Very well, which one do you wish to talk about ?—I wish to speak about Tuilaepa, in the district of Aigailetai, which district includes Mulifanua, Manono, and Apolima. My complaint against him is that, whilst I was Fa'amasino, he tried cases. In your district ?—Yes. I was the proper one to try those cases. In what way did he try the cases ? —People complained to him, and he heard the oases as if he were the Fa'amasino. Instead of sending them to you to deal with, he dealt with them himself %■ —Instead of referring them to me, he dealt with them himself. Can you tell us something of these cases ? —There are so many that it is difficult to remember any particular one. I do not wish to speak about things I am not certain about. You are certain about the point that he interfered with you ?—-Yes. Is there any other complaint ? —He appointed the title of To'oa, which he had no right to do, he being only the Faipule, and so he got me into trouble. That is what you said before, really % —He appointed another young man in my family to my title of Moananu, and he had no right to the title and no say in the matter of that title. When I was banished and had my title taken away the Administrator and Faipule decided to appoint somebody else to my title ; he (the Faipule) said that I would not be returnedjto it. My family were quite annoyed about it. Who has the granting : is it the family or somebody else—that is, of course, with reference to your own title ?—The whole family unanimously appoint the holder of the title.

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