Norman played an important part in the Samoan wars of the 'nineties. At the outbreak of the Great War (WW1) Mr. Macdonald was chief surveyor and continued in that position under the military and civil New Zealand Administrations. He also acted as commissioner of works and deputy-president of the Land and Titles Commission and later as Secretary for Natiife Affairs. He retired from his official positions in 1922 Mr. Macdonald continued to act, however, as adviser to the Administration and the New Zealand Reparation Estates in all matters pertaining to agriculture and for some years occupied the position of plantation inspector of the N.Z.R.E.

Auckland Star, 11 Apr 1902: THE CORONATION CONTINGENT Sergeant Norman H. McDonald, late of the First Contingent, has been selected for the white section of the contingent

Colonist: 4 Feb 1916: Mr J. W. Davis, formerly of the New Zealand Survey Department, has received the appointment of chief draughtsman to the Survey Department of Samoa, which since the occupation of the German islands by Great Britain has been taken over by the Imperial authorities, and Mr Norman H. McDonald, is chief surveyor

Norman was a founder member of the New Zealand Astronomical Society in 1920, along with other notable New Zealanders such as Sir Francis bell, Sir Ernest Marsden, Sir Robert Stout and Sir Patrick O’Dea.

Hawera & Normanby Star, 30 Mar 1921: SAMOA BOYCOTT OF GOODS Mr C. Roberts, late Chief Justice of' Samoa, has arrived from Apia, and says that the boycott instituted by the natives when the purchase of all goods from whites, was banned was now broken. He spoke highly of the work done by Mr N. H. McDonald, Secretary of Native Affairs, Apia who knew how to handle the natives, and also understood their manners. He had lived many years in Samoa, and Mr Roberts thought he would succeed in his present position.

Src: Mocavo: Interview with Mr Norman H. McDonald in answer the the claims made by American Citizens in Apia in the Soloman Islands:-

Q. Where do you live ?—A. In Apia.

Q. How long have you resided in Samoa?—A. About four months, formerly living in Tulaele.

Q. Where did you reside in March, 1899 ?—A. In Tulaele.

Q. Before the outbreak of the war in that month, were the forces of Mataafa encamped in and about Apia; and if so, to what extent?—A. Yes. Perhaps three or four thousand natives.

Q. What part, if any, did you take in that war?—A. I acted as guide to the English and American forces, and was engaged in pre paringplans, etc., for their information.

Q. Were you familiar in a general way with the conditions which existed in and about Apia, during the progress of that war ?—A. Yes.

Q. What can you say, generally, as to the injury done in that warto the property of white and half-caste residents in and about Apia, with particular reference to buildings, household furniture, live stock, coconut and cocoa trees and growing fruit?—A. Buildings were practicallv undamaged, excepting those destroyed by the authorities; household furniture was in many cases stolen or destroyed. Such live stock as could be caught was used for food purposes, and in many cases horses were taken for use, but I do not think that stock was maliciously destroyed. Practically no coconuts were cut down, excepting a few belonging to natives. Several acres of cocoa, principally the loss of Moors and Carruthers, were destroyed, the object being to guard against the trees being used as cover by the sailors. Bananas were used and destroyed extensively, but other fruit trees were not damaged to any great extent.

Q. What experience, if any, have you had as a planter?—A. I have been a planter for 20 years.

Q. Is there a so-called copra season in Samoa, and if so, what is its extent; and what can you say as to the making of copra during the remainder of the year, and particularly during the months of March and April? Does the fact, ii it is a fact, that but little copra is made during these months have any effect upon the retail store trade at such periods; and if so, what?—A. The copra season extends from about May to December; during the balance of the year no copra is made by the natives, owing to the rainy season. March and April are often the worst months, hence little if any copra is made. This necessarily has an effect on the retail store trade, sales during the wet season falling off very considerably, perhaps from 25 to 50 per cent, although not being a trader I am without experience.

Q. At what age do coconut trees begin to bear in Samoa?—A. About five years on the coast and seven years inland.

Q. At what age are they at the height of their bearing, and how long is the bearing life of an average coconut tree in Samoa?—A. I should say from 12 to 30 years in their prime, after that gradually falling off till about 50 to 60 years..

Q. What is the average number of nuts obtained per year during its bearing life ?—A. About from 50 to 100, according to conditions.

Q. How many nuts are required to make a ton of copra ?—A. From 5,000 to 6,000.

Q. What was the price paid per ton for copra in Apia during the first few months of 1899 ?—A. Unknown.

Q. What, in your opinion, was the value in 1899, in Samoa, of coconut trees, respectively 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 years old?—A. The value per acre of land planted in coconuts, say 40 to the acre, I should estimate as follows: One year, $30; 2 years, $40; 3 years, $50; 4 years, $60, 5 years, $70, and at 10 years, $125.

Q. At what age do cocoa trees begin to bear in Samoa?—A. I should say that the Forastero variety crops at four years, and the Criolo at six years, although both varieties produce fruit a year earlier, but not to any extent.

Q. At what age are they at the height of their bearing,'and for how long, on the average do they continue ?—A. In their prime, say, from 10 to 20 years, and are supposed to last for 40 years.

Q. What is the average weight, in dried cocoa, obtained per year from a cocoa tree during its bearing life?—A. From 3 to 6 pounds.

Q. What was the price per ton paid for dried cocoa beans in Apia in the first few months of 1899 ?—A. Probably not more than 1 or 2 tons shipped, this being from Carruthers property. Price unknown.

Q. Wliat, in your opinion, was the value, at that time in Samoa, of cocoa trees, respectively, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 years old?—A. One year, 25 cents, or per acre, $50; 2 years, 37 cents, or per acre, $75; 3 years, 50 cents, or per acre, $100; 4 years, 63 cents, or per acre, $125; 5 years, 75 cents, or per*acre, $150; 6 years, $1, or per acre, $200.

Q. What can you say, in a general way, as to the shipment of fruit from Apia in the early part of 1899 ?—A. I believe that we had only one pretty regular shipper, viz, H. J. Moors; the D. H. & P. G. had tried it, but given it up, and I understand that the returns were not always satisfactory, sometimes showing a good profit and sometimes a loss.

Q. Is any fruit shipped from here now, and if not, why?—A. No fruit is shipped from here now for two reasons, primarily because the steam connection is bad, and secondly because there is no organized system of handling the fruit at the other end.

Q. Between about what dates did the so-called Spreckles line of steamers from San Francisco to New Zealand, call at Apia?—A. For some years before 1898, but I can not remember what year the service was discontinued.

O. Did they afford a faster service between Apia and New Zealand or Australia than can be had now, and if so, how much faster?—A. The service was five or six days faster than the present one.

Q. What, in your opinion, was the value, in Samoa, in 1899, of the banana trees, covering an acre of ground ?—A. Banana cultivationis unknown in Samoa as compared for instance with Fiji; the crop is known to impoverish the soil, and no planter will, if he can help it, grow bananas on ground on which he is going to grow permanent crops, such as rubber, cocoa, although perhaps coconuts would not suffer to any serious extent as an aftercrop. Four hundred bunches might be matured on an acre at once ir under exceptionally good cultivation. The value of a bunch delivered in Apia for shipment might be 12 cents or so, so that 400 bunches in Apia would be worth $50, less the cost of cutting and carting down. This cost I take to be $18, so that 400 bunches equals $32.

Q. How soon after cutting down will a banana tree spring up and bear fruit, if at all ?—A. A banana will have matured fruit eight to nine months after being cut down.

Q. What, in your opinion, was the value in Samoa, in 1899, of pine-apples covering an acre of ground?—A. The same answer may be given as in the case of bananas; no pines are cultivated, as there is no market. An acre might produce 1,000 to 1,500 ripe pines at once under good cultivation, worth ready for shipment, say $150, less cost of picking and carting, say $20. therefore, an acre of pines might be worth $130. Both this estimate and that for bananas is only a rough opinion, and not from any actual experience.

Q. Wnat can you say as to the value in Samoa, in 1899, of the classes or sizes of Samoan or native houses ?—A. Samoan houses generally vary in value from $35 to $50, but sometimes larger and better houses are built wherein lumber is used. This class of house can cost anything from $50 to $150.

Q. What can you say, in a general way, as to the cost in Samoa, in 1899, as compared with other countries with which you are familiar, of the materials used in the construction of so-called European or wooden houses, of household furniture, and the necessities of life generally?—A. Building material and furniture is, I should think, from 20 to 50 per cent higher than in the colonies, but, as some set-off for this, people usually dispensed with elaborate buildings or furniture. Many or the necessities of life are high, but I believe that clothing and some other lines are, owing to light duties, comparable with prices elsewhere.

An Account of Samoan History up to 1918 ; The Native Department under New Zealand Administration when Colonel Tate took over the civil administration of Samoa in 1921 he had associated Secretary for Native Affairs, Captain Cotton and this officer continued in charge until March, 1921. He was then superceded by Mr N. H. McDonald, a surveyor who had been in the Islands since the early nineties. Neither of these officials were conversant with the Samoan language although the latter had a better understanding of it than Captain Cotton and he also had a sound knowledge of the geography of the country. He was married to a Samoan which ruined any chances he had of becoming a successfull head of the Native Department. During the term of the two men mentioned, very little was done in the way of formulating a Native Policy and to put it bluntly, things just happened

MACDONALD June 14, 1937, at a private hospital, Auckland, Norman Hursthouse, late of Western Samoa, aged 73 years. Buried European Cemetery, Apia, Western Samoa.

APIA: 4, July 10. 1937: Death: The late Mr. N. H. Macdonald, for many years chief surveyor to the New Zealand Administration of Western Samoa, was born in Parnell, Auckland, in 1863. He was the son of Mr. A. C. P. Macdonald, late assistant Colonial Under- Secretary for New Zealand, and was educated at Nelson College. He studied surveying under some well-known engineers, later joining the Government. He surveyed the first special settlement under the Ballance Government and later did survey work in West Australia and Tasmania. In 1892 he was appointed surveyor to the International Land Commission in Samoa under the tripartite control.  He leaves one son and two daughters.