The allegations respecting the administration under the mandate may be extravagant, if not actually groundless, but even if inquiry proves them to be utterly devoid of foundation, the people of the dominion should be fully informed of the real condition of affairs. It is abundantly necessary that charges such as have been levelled at the administration by New Zealand under the Samoan mandate should be made the subject of careful investigation, and it is in the circumstances fortunate that within a few weeks the Minister of External Affairs will himself leave for the territory on a quest of inquiry. It is alleged for instance that while under German rule Samoa was fully governed or managed by 44 officials. The dominion has already 134 officials, “all drawing exaggerated salaries and all claiming allowances”, and, moreover, “all getting individual baths, some of them motorcars and the like’’. We are bound to say that these allegations constitute a prima facie case for inquiry.
Rabbit boards proliferate
The proposal to constitute Rabbit Boards as a means for coordinating the effort to destroy the pest and protect landholders from the ever present danger of high penalties is an interesting development of the past few weeks in Otago. The Amending Act which re-enacted the clause reduces the area for which a Rabbit Board may be formed from 200,000 acres to 2000 acres, provided that not fewer than ten ratepayers are included in the smaller area. There are initial difficulties associated with the constitution of such boards. It is obviously necessary that the area covered should be such as is calculated to admit of a fairly self- contained district getting rid of the pest. Just as it is useless for one farmer to make extraordinary efforts to eliminate the rabbits while his neighbours do nothing, so a Rabbit Board might dissipate its energies while adjoining territory was wholly neglected. It will be necessary to consider carefully the advantages of Rabbit Board administration for the districts proposed to be served, and it is to be hoped that if the weight of opinion is in their favour the settlers at large will heartily co-operate towards a successful trial of the method.
Gabriel’s Gully pioneer injured
A painful experience befell Mr William Howard, aged 83 years, last Saturday afternoon. Mr Howard follows the vocation of a gold miner, cradling the auriferous wash in the Kuriwao stream, which flows down the South Wyndham slopes (reports the Farmer). The chimney of his hut took fire, and he was climbing a ladder to investigate when he fell heavily to the ground, fracturing the neck of one of his thigh bones. He was able to reach an outhouse, whence he witnessed the total destruction of his hut and all its contents, including his clothes, mining tools, a much prized collection of books, and other cherished things. There he remained in anxiety and without a bite of food for upwards of 36 hours — until Sunday morning, when Mr Peter Campbell happened to be in the vicinity, and heard the old man’s cry. He was promptly removed to the Gore Hospital, where he is doing well.
- ODT, 16.6.1921.
