III

At the end of 1925, in the west of Savaii, there were five Faipules. Two of these had been appointed during General Richardson's regime. I should say something of these appointments. The first—that of the Faipule of Salailua—was made shortly before I came to the district. He had been a Native Inspector of Lands—an official of the Agricultural Department. For embezzling fines, however, he was dismissed, and told by Colonel Tate, the Administrator, that he would never again be employed by the Government. One of the first acts of General Richardson, acting presumably on the advice of the Secretary of Native Affairs, was to make this man a Faipule. In 1926 he was again discovered embezzling fines, but he was not dismissed, although he was supposed, it was understood, to be "suspended."

Regarding the other appointment. On his malanga round Savaii in 1925 the Administrator arrived, at Falealupo, in a deserted village. Now whether this was owing—as I was informed—to a misunderstanding, or whether the natives were page 212alovao (avoiding visitors in the bush), I cannot affirm; anyway, the Government party declared at the time that they had never had such a disgraceful reception, although they swore before the Royal Commission that everything went splendidly on that malanga.

Not many weeks after, there appeared at my trading-station at Falelima the old Faipule of Falealupo, of very high rank, with my former interpreter—a native of that village. The young man explained that according to Samoan custom he should not appear in this matter, as the newly appointed Faipule was his relation; but the old man had begged his assistance, having received a letter from the Native Office in Apia telling him that his resignation had been accepted, and since he did not wish to resign, what should he do? I asked the Faipule why, in that case, he had sent in his resignation. He assured me that he had not done so. I replied that it seemed obvious that a mistake had arisen, and he had better go immediately to Apia to get the matter put right. This he did. After great difficulty he got a sight of the supposed resignation from Mr. Griffin. This the old man declared he had never seen before and was not in his writing. Mr. Griffin remarked that it was very unfortunate, but, since another man had been appointed in his place, nothing could be done. The new Faipule had been a decidedly indifferent Native Magistrate of Falealupo, and as such appeared to be the type of official favoured. I invite examination of the evasive evidence given regarding his appointment before the Royal Commission, and embodied in the Report.