V

From the Samoa Report for the year ending March 31, 1926, we learn:

"The Faipules assembled on two occasions during the year and passed Native regulations on many matters, of which the following are the most important—

"(1.) Division of Native lands to provide for individual ownership.

"(8.) Fa'a Samoa marriages."

Fa'a Samoa marriage—or marriage according to Samoan custom—is a matter of a couple living together by mutual consent. If either wishes to dissolve the partnership it is dissolved. The woman then returns to her people, and is free to contract a fresh alliance; in which case children of the first marriage are brought up by the maternal grandparents or relations, and are made welcome. These children are regarded as legitimate, may go to live with or visit their paternal relations, and inherit from either side of the family whatever benefits to which they are entitled. The system, for a country such as this, appears ideal. Women of necessity are treated with respect. The race is a happy one; and considered the possessors of physiques the finest in the world. Children are well treated and looked after. What, then, can be wrong with their marriage customs? The only obviously unhappy couples I encountered I found on inquiry to have been married in the church. None the less, fa'a Samoa marriage was singled out by General page 203Richardson for a particularly determined assault. The Protestant missions, I need hardly say, were in full approval.¹

The Faipules returned from one of their Fonos, announced fa'a Samoa marriage would be no longer allowed, and, threatening penalties, started a regular stampede among the Samoans into the bonds of holy matrimony. Couples who had been legally married and were now living apart, tried in some cases, in fear of the "law," to effect a reunion; and the respective legal and illegal husband of the same lady, in two or three cases of which I knew, actually came to blows. The outcome of this proceeding on the part of the Faipules—having resulted in a crop of marriage and divorce (a reference will be found in the annual report to divorce as the result of legislation passed by the Faipules)—was advertised to the world (there was continuous propaganda in overseas newspapers) as being largely due to the precept and high moral influence of General Richardson. The matter was then allowed to die down; save that shortly after, the resolution relating to fa'a Samoa marriage—together with all the other Faipule resolutions—was issued in book form mixed up among the laws. It was impossible to differentiate between the two. Proven evidence to this effect may be found in the report of the Royal Commission. The book was printed in the native tongue, and entitled The Laws of Samoa—approved or assented to by His Excellency in accordance with the "Fono of Faipules." This, it will be seen, was in conformity with the resolution passed in January 1924—vide Chapter 15, Section VI—so obviously the whole scandalous procedure was long premeditated.