A. —4

Among the most important events of the year 1948-49 have been the following 3rd April, 1948 : Election of the Samoan members of the Legislative Assembly by the Fono of Faipule. The election of ten of those returned was confirmed on 28th April. The remaining member, though of Samoan status, possessed German nationality, and was thus considered technically ineligible for office ; he became a naturalized British subject, and his election was confirmed on 6th June. 28th April, 1948 : Election of the European members of the Legislative Assembly. Ist June, 1948 : Flag Raising Day. The newly authorized flags of Samoa —the New Zealand flag and the Samoan flag flown conjointly—were raised for the first time at a ceremony attended by all sections of the population. The Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Right Hon. P. Fraser, had planned to be present on this occasion and for the Opening of the new Legislative Assembly, but quarantine restrictions in Samoa, owing to an outbreak of poliomyelitis in New Zealand, compelled the abandonment of his visit. 2nd June, 1948 : The opening of the first session of the Legislative Assembly by the High Commissioner. 13th July, 1948 : The Governor-General of New Zealand, Sir Bernard Freyberg y arrived on H.M.N.Z.S. " Bellona " on an official visit. He remained in the Territory till the 16th. 4th to sth October, 1948 : The Governor of American Samoa and a party of his senior officials paid a visit to the Territory. 9th December, 1948 : The High Commissioner and senior officials left on an official visit to American Samoa. They returned on the 12th. 14th January, 1949 : The Secretary of Samoan Affairs, Mr. F. J. H. Grattan, left Samoa en route for the United States to attend the fourth session of the Trusteeship Council as Special Representative. He returned on 11th March. 23rd February, 1949 : Lieutenant-Colonel F. W. Yoelcker left the Territory on the completion of his term of office. Lieutenant-Colonel Yoelcker assumed office as Administrator in March, 194-6 ; he became the first holder of the office of High Commissioner when the Samoan Amendment Act, 1947, came into operation on 10th March, 1948. Ist March, 1949 : Mr. G. R. Powles arrived on H.M.N.Z.S. " Hawea "to assume the High Commissionership. 3rd to 7th March, 1949 : The permanent members of the Research Council of the South Pacific Commission visited the Territory. During the year the Territory has been visited by a number of senior officers of the New Zealand Public Service. Three officers of the New Zealand Education Service paid extended visits in connection with proposed educational developments. These were Mr. T. A. Fletcher (Chief Inspector of Maori Schools), Mr. G. Tovey (Supervisor of Arts and Crafts), and Mr. F. R. J. Davies (Officer for Islands Education). Mr. A. D_ Small (a Chief Inspector of the Land and Income Tax Department) was in Samoa in January and February, 1949, to report on the taxation system. B. STATUS OF THE TERRITORY AND ITS INHABITANTS Status of the Territory Western Samoa is administered by New Zealand in accordance with the terms of a Trusteeship Agreement approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 13th December, 1946. New Zealand jurisdiction over Western Samoa has its origin in the decision of the Supreme Council of the Allied Powers on 7th May, 1919, to confer a mandate for the Territory upon His Britannic Majesty to be exercised on his behalf by the Government

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