IV

Towards the end of November, General Richardson left for a visit to New Zealand, but had first a farewell Fono with the Faipules. Their spokesman was Toelupe, the oldest member. I will quote from the Samoa Times of November 20, 1925:

"Toelupe, who was spokesman for the Fono on this occasion, as he has been on many other momentous occasions, said—

"'… We look back to the past and realize our present blessings. Our forefathers have never had such a Governor as page 213we have had. Samoa has never before had the great leadership which Your Excellency has given us…. In the days when the Germans governed Samoa there was a clever Governor named Solf. When Solf left us he said at parting: "I leave Samoa unhealed of its great evils—doubt, suspicion, and jealousy." To-day you are parting with us and we say to you: "You have given us the cure for these great evils by your wonderful example to us. These evils have received their antidote from you, the greatest Governor Samoa has ever known. Our sympathy goes out to our forefathers, for had they had a Governor like you, Samoa would to-day be standing on a much higher level."

"'We are grateful to New Zealand for honouring us by giving you to us, and we are again honoured by their respecting our wishes that you remain with us a little longer. We pray that your years with us may lengthen out to many more.

"'As a mark of our appreciation and confidence, and our whole-hearted trust in New Zealand, we are asking you to take to the Governor-General three things of vital importance to us. These things are emblematic of our freely depositing with New Zealand our future….

"'We furthermore ask you to convey to the Members of Parliament our appreciation and gratitude for righting what was wrong: by placing the Fono of Faipules on its present footing. This has given the Fono a voice in the legislation of the affairs of the Samoan people. We desire to retain that authority, and we would say that as the papalangis (who are merchants, planters, or business men) have channels through which they voice their opinions in their own affairs, so let the Samoan people, through us their representative, with Your Excellency, control Samoan affairs….'"

One is not entirely surprised that Toelupe was satisfied with the status quo when one reads the following evidence given in due course before the Royal Commission:

"What is your name?—Leapai, of Malie, in Upolu.

"Are you an orator?—Yes.

"That is Toelupe's village, is it not?—Yes.

"Tell us about Muagutu?—Toelupe took his name away from him without cause.

"You mean his title?—Yes.

"Did Toelupe order that?—No. There was a meeting of the

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page 214chiefs in Malie, and when kava was being served out Muagutu's cup was called. Toelupe stopped the cup being issued to the person called, and objected to the title being used by Muagutu.

"Do you know of any reason for this?—It was after the kava ceremony that the Faipule explained why he had objected.

"What was the objection?—He stated that there was an inspection by the women's committee of such things as knives, forks, and spoons, and that Muagutu refused to comply with the inspection. Muagutu was having a house built, and when it was completed Muagutu supplied food for the chiefs and orators of the village. The Faipule would not allow that, stating that the builders should have been given the food. As it happened, the builder was Muagutu's brother.

"Was any written order given by Toelupe taking away his title?—No.

"He was only refused the proper place at the 'kava' ceremony?—He stopped the kava being given to the person of that title, and said that he was not to use the title, and to go to Savaii.

"Did he go to Savaii?—He did not go to Savaii, but left Malie and came to Faleata, where he remained.

"Was Toelupe speaking just as Toelupe or as a 'Faipule'?—As a Faipule.

"This was in 1925?—Yes."