A Samoan Claim.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 7, 9 January 1886, Page 5

A Samoan Claim.

The Steinberger episode, in connection with the history of Samoa has unexpectedly cropped up again. The affaire of a Mr Prank Platfc are now before the Bankruptcy Court m London, He claims to nossnsn £99,800 worth of assets, including amoS them £62,000, which he alleges the British Government ought to pay him for the destruction of a yacht and other property he possessed in Samoa in 1876 by H.M.B. Barracouta. Another large asset of i £35,000 is represented by damages said to be due for breach of a contract'to purchase a mining property at Colorado. In ex-" amination, the bankrupt stated that Steinberger and himself formed tho Government of the Samoan Islands, Steinberger being Prime Minister and the bankrupt being the Chancellor of the Exchequer. They owned jointly a yacht which was armed for the purposes of selfprotection, but in 1876 it wob seized, on the I ground that it was a piratical craft, and the property upon the island waa fired upon and destroyed. The yacht was worth £8,000, and the other property between £50,000 ™» IQ 1877, neniadeaclaimfor i,i40,000 for the damage sustained against, the British Government, and had been in communication with the Earl of Derby on the subject, who had informed him that no - decision would be given without notice to himself. The Foreign Office deolare that they know of; no such claim. The examination has been adjourned to permit further* investigation. . .