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Samoa at Geneva : misleading the League of Nations : a commentary on the proceedings of the Permanent Mandates Commission at its thirteenth session held at Geneva in June, 1928
Root Causes of the Unrest
Root Causes of the Unrest.
This is a vague answer to the question, but it discloses the mentality of the man whose administration in Samoa produced the greatest political upheaval in the history of those islands for many years. In this answer will be found the root causes of the present unrest. "I think those views were just what I had put into their heads," he says.
Despite all that has been said to the contrary, the Faipules who sit at the Fono, and who are wrongly termed the representatives of the Samoans in the so-called "Native Parliament," are by law appointed by the Administrator, and not by the Samoans.
Administrator's approval, to pass "resolutons" which, the Natives contend, have been enforced as laws, although the Administrator and the Faipules informed the Royal Commission that these "resolutions" were not enforced as laws. Yet on page 378 the following appears:—
Mr. Baxter: It was not, then, as some people consider, that, being passed by the Fono of Faipules, it was sufficient?
Sir George Richardson: So far as the Natives are concerned, practically yes; because if the Faipules pass it and agree to it, and it is in the interests of the whole Native race, it is my duty, as Administrator, to see that it is pushed through.
Mr. Baxter: Then they pass only resolutions, not regulations?
Sir George Richardson: No. Those resolutions are then handed in to me. I give them to the Chief Judge..."
Mr. Baxter: A number have come out by Order-in-Council?
Sir George Richardson: Yes, I think so.
Mr. Baxter: My reason for asking this is that in the Mandatory Report for 1926, page 9, under the heading of "Native Legislation," it is stated: "The Faipules assembled on two occasions during the year and passed Native regulations."
Sir George Richardson: That is a phraseology which the outside world would understand. If I went into details, such as I have just given you, the outside world would not understand.
Mr. Baxter: On page 19, under the heading "Administration of Justice," it refers to divorce as the result of legislation passed by the Fono of Faipules. It refers to faa-Samoa marriages?
Sir George Richardson: That is phraseology for the outside world.