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Auckland Star, Volume VII, Issue 1894, 13 March 1876, Page 2

Meeting held inths Armoury on; t day of Feb^uafy, 1876, for^ <r Samoa: An> edict of dismiss^ >j£s*K &c, and the" removal froi^;. T£ rK o 5 of his Premier, Mr. A. Btfctt** f' ; p. Present: His Majesty Kingia^ tain Stevens and Consuls, and iA •-■. . J '■■■l'.. Turner, Acting Interpreter for Oi ■ , a ':! The proceedings commenced l^ t t^e y" the King sending for Mr. Steintr years, ;! On Mr. Steinberger's arSldes|at Stevens requested His 'Majesty'•■^■■.l ':<■■■", ; (Mr. Steinberger) the question p^H-i Captain Stevens, and sent verballjr. J! *> Majesty. . . "'-■"' His Majesty asks;'Mr. Steinberger y; j he has any arms cbncjeakd about-his peifi . 1 Mr Steinberger-Isfo^decidedly no. jr r His Majesty then 'reads the^awiw follows:— '~' ;■ r \j' ''' I desire the attention of all chieH,:,.; > Samoa group. lam thoroughly et^ |j that Mr. 'A. B. Steinberger, the Premier, .0. removed from office and from this B^V-JJ . reasons for this desire are that he has pro ■, . to be a liar and an imposter j that he na , the cause of all the' troubles which uu * insults offered by our Government ro , Representatives in Samoa of the & ivm1 ■ _ United States Government. And iP h X vinced that if he be not at once remo^_ will be the-cause of the.ruin of my w - ' ment and nation., ,It is difficult, for me, ever, to deal with an American citizen, dc^ :!; I am unaccustpmed.to.the manner 01 or

iiations in such cases. • 1 have therefore earnestly entreated Mr Foster, the American consul, Captain Stevens, and Mr Williams, to aid me in having the said Mr Steinberger at once removed in order to save my country. I hereby, therefore, dismiss Mr. Steinberger from his office of Premier, and now hand him over to Mr Foster, Captain Stevens, and Mr Williams, in order that they may have him removed. I hereby inform yon also that if any person holding any office in my Government opposes my will in this matter I shall also have him also removed from his office. (Signed) Malietoa, King. "Samoa, Bth February, 1576. Mr S. S. Foster, the consul for the United States of America, rises and addresses with ; 'efference to His Majesty and Captain Stevens: ■ That having received a letter from His iesty the King expressing his determination temove Mr A. B. Steinberger from his tnt position ' and the group,' he begs to Captain Stevens a letter requesting him Oaptabsence of an American man-o'-war '■ 'ci .! landed to Captain Stevens, who lrflHc£t«C ¥ drcssess "is Majesty: Your Majetov, i propose reading to you, for the information of yourself and all present, Mr Foster's letter requesting the removal of Mr Steinbe.rger :—Sir,— His Malietoa, having appealed to me for assistance to remove from his Government and Kingdom, an American citizen named A. B. Steinberger for reasons set forth in the inclosure, and having no means at1 my disposal to enable me to forward His Majesty's views, and as my Government has always expressed eveiy good will and regard for the welfare of the femoan people, and believing my Governirifent would grant the request of the Kip; g if a sn i p o f war was present, I, therefore, have the honor to request and appeal to you to render such assistance as you can to remove this dangerous man, and keep him in custody until he can be deported.—l have, &c, a S^Foster, U.S. Consul, Captain Steven! here states he is prepared to carry out the requisition of Mr. Foster. Captain Stevens then addresses Mr. Steinberger:—"Mr. .Steinberger, it becomes my painful duty to tell you that' you are a prisoner. Will you accompany the escort to my boat ?" * Mr. Steinberger replies ''The simple request of the King is enough. Would you allow me to retire to my house to colled- a few clothes,

Captain Stevens states he cannot comply with his request, but that a guard will be placed over his house, and everything will be placed in the hands of the Consul. Mr. Steinberger then delivers himself up a prisoner, and was removed in custody of an escort to Her Majesty's ship Barracouta. Captain Stevens and the other representatives then left, leaving a guard of eight marines and the colour-sergeant at the disposal of the American Consul.

The King has placed himself under the protection of the British man-o'-war in case of any irruption by the natives. On the 24th Mr Waters, Colonel Steinberger's private secretary caused to be aold by virtue of a Bill of Sale all the Colonel's real and personal <effects ior wages r^ue.