WHICH IS THE BARBARIAN?

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 236, 7 October 1887, Page 4

WHICH IS THE BARBARIAN?

Such is the question that must suggest itself to the mind of everyone who has read the account of what is with unnecessary and misplaced magniloquence termed the "war" between the Em. peror of Germany and King Malietoa of Samoa. The nonagenarian Kaiser, who is tremblingly apprehensive last war—horrid war—should break out and devastate Europe, apparently thinks it but a light recreation to order four warships and some two thousand men to go to Samoa and solemnly proclaim war against one inoffensive man. Whether Commodore Heusner had specific instructions or not, he has carried out his Samoan mission with a coldblooded brutality that we should have thought impossible in tho accredited servant of a civilised Power. King Malietoa had always been on a friendly footing with Germany, and if he ever resisted the will of the Teutonic interlopers in his kingdom, it was done in a civilised and constitutional way. Somo two years ago, Malietoa even allowed the German representative men to bully him into making a treaty specially favouring Germany ; and yet tho sonsof the Fatherland were not satisfied. They found that Malietoa had a sense of international obligations which was quite foreign to their code, and because he afterwards granted similar rights to England and the United States, the old hostility of Germany broke out with renewed rancour, Tho latest ( scene in the melancholy travesty of war which the brave Deutschers have been carrying out is that depicting tho

capture of the enemy, his detention as a prisoner of war, and his deportation to parts unknown. The German Commodore was quite prepared to murder a few thousand of Samoans in order to get a hold of Malietoa; but the latter, who is a Christian and a gentleman, disappointed the sanguinary expectations of the civilised warrior by calmly surrendering himself to exile, indignity, and he knew not what else.

We have tried to look at this shameful story from the German point of view, and all that we can imagine the apologists for this procedure being able to advance is something like the following :—Germany has done no more than copy the tactics of England in her dealings with inferior races. German subjects had colonised Apia, and had larger commercial interests there than those of any other nation; it was necessary for their security that settled rule should be introduced, and as Malietoa was the only obstacle to this, his removal was resolved upon. Of course the insult to the Emperor, the outrage upon German subjects,, and the claim for compensation were mere trumped-up things to serve as a pretext ; but they were as good grounds for war as Great Britain has ever had in South Africa, New Zealand, and other countries. As to the German manner of prosecuting the war, is it any more objectionable than the tactics pursued by Britain in Zululand, Ashantee, or Abyssinia? Was not poor old Cetewayo taken a prisoner to England ? And if it pleases the Germans to carry Malietoa to Berlin and place him on exhibition as a trophy of glorious victories abroad, has John Bull any right to assume an air of virtuous indignation 1 Really, the Germans have been more than usually considerate in their method of warring with an aboriginal people—ahem, with an aboriginal native — for they have done nothing more serious than knock about a few of those naked savages, put a bullet through the hand of a little boy, and 16ck up a •'miserable parley-voo" for a short period, while per contra the brave German bluejackets were ignominiously slapped by certain natives, and one was felled by a blow from the fist of an irate Yankee. On the whole, this Samoan business may serve as a model for British officers in conducting negotiations with primitive races! Thus we have imagined a patriotic German putting the best face possible upon a most inglorious affair. But the plain fact of the matter 13 that there is no force whatever in these arguments, because the SamOan case is in no way a parallel one to the " little wars " of Britain which the suppositious German apologist has cited. Malietoi had committed no outrage upon any German subject; he bad not offered armed resistance to any demand made by Germany; he did not threaten or imperil in the slightest degree a single German interest; he tyfcs not at the head of a baud of ferocious aud bloodthirsty savages, eager for slaughter and pillage ; and he had not done anything to justify the proclamation of war against him as an individual, his deposition from the position of sovereignty, andhisimprisonmentand exile. If a parallel case is wanted, Samoa provides it, arid also shows the contrast between the English and German methods in dealing with people known to be gentle, placable, and welldisposed. For several years the chief Tamasese has been in a state of revolt against the authority of the recognised King of Samoa; he has been in the field with a party of armed followers, who have terrorised Apia and unsettled trade by their threatening bearing ; this attitude was well known to be in direct antagonism to British interests in particular, and therefore forcible proceedings on the part of England to restore order and security would have been perfectly justifiable. But no steps were taken; it was only a matter of time and forbearance, and Tamasese's followers would have been brought to see that they were the mere tools of German intrigue, and would have peacefully returned to their homes. This happy consummation the Germans were determined to prevent, and hence their recent violent, lawless and barbarous proceedings in depriving Malietoa of his liberty and placing .their puppet Tamasese on the throne. So far from these proceedings being in any way meritorious, they should make the cheeks of every honest German—and honest Germans are manytingle with shame.

Early in the football season one of the players had the misfortune to meet with an accident to one of his feet which, it is feared, will prevent him from using it again. As this is the only serious accident that has occurred during the past season the Auckland Union have decided to hold a benefit match to-morrow at the North Shore, the proceeds to be given to th-2 sufferer.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court after we went to press yesterday the ease G. v>. H. Purdie v. W. J. Evans, claim £14 10s, for planting trees, was decided. Judgment was given for plaintiff for i' 2 2s, with costs £110s6d.

About 11 o'clock yesterday morning, Mr W. G. Garrard, assistant Registrar ot Dog's, had a little difficulty in Freeman s Bay with one of tlie gentler sex. It appears that he was trying to capture a dog when the lady-owner of the same* suddenly descended upon him like a whirlwind, and be S an to attack the Lord High Executioner. As Garrard is now somewhat advanced in years, he was unable to defend himself with the vigour with which he was wont to strike for old England in bygone days, ana, as a consequence, he suffered considerably. His opponent grasped the veteran by the whiskers with a pertinacity that made him yell, and, what made matters worse, an admiring crowd of gamins stood by ana enjoyed the outrage on the majesty ?1 the law. At, length another representative ot the law arrived in the shape of Constable Bernard, and this alone saved U«"»"j from sustaining a decided reverse. \wwn the assailant saw the member of.fchetorce coming up she surrendered, and even oifered to give up the dog; but this was not accepted! it being deemed advisable to summons the won Tan both for assault and for negleetinp to register her dog.

Qualifications in 7ff •»'«** M essay on ••£,£¥ WS^ Fox delivered an Sit* rag the and,™, »ith . i , gramme as foUows waV 2 " Maid of Athens," fc HBl*'!** cored]; pianoforteWection Sft 5 MIS 3 Gnbbin; recitation Robertson sons, "Bide a V mS^ l3^ Leshe; recitation, « You n ?? U h '** Mr Robertson; fiii» "eSS, the Rye" (encorSf "On a Sunday Afternoon » n? "U^ m ott a cco ffipai 2^

The return match between & n. port and Mount Eden C played at Robson's Boom toft* resulted, on the gamj Saf "ty* victory for the fSß n la tunately, fcwoof tteilCunSS*?^ , unable to be present and-Tγ m 2; Matthews, 2;'(2 1; ■ Gleeson, O-total, 8i 2 port: Waterhouse, 1; Brooks nV^ tween Messrs K. Watkins and JoE BrSfnk-^ A trial of a rabbit annihilator was tek two weeks ago at f Bacchus Marsh, YinS with most satisfactory ; reßults. % machine weighs 261b.,- and is carried \n couple of handles. It consists of a joto fan, in front of which .is a tin leceptn&i A couple of light • tin rollera upon which an endlees web of Woollen ipatenS ie made to rotate/ whilei irimiersed in carbon liquid pkced in the rtepM. which is,made airtight. At tie fronW this receptacle a nozzle is placed," nm which a piece of indiarubber tubing , ja attached,the end of which is pushed into burrow , / The principle of the macMaea that the blast from the fanners, pas* over the endless web saturated witk car. bon, forces the fumes through the info rubber tubing into the buiTovr! Tli machine was applied to natural burroi?!, and the rabbits were afterwards taken out »fc a depth of 12ft, and in one instance ati depth of 30ft.

Last February a firebui;ntdown o»oitlt old land marks of the Waikato Wer-tfci Drury Hotel, » 'building known to all travellers in the Waikato since 1863,; Its proprietor, Mr Godkin, decided to e/ects new hotel near the railway station, cm* site of about two acres, having two fatages to a road, and one to the:rai!iraj station. The present building ii 'eubstantially built of brick, the,three fronts being faced with pressed brick. It 1 covers Si area of 55ft by 60, and contains 20 rooms ii of large size and lofty. A- balcony W verandah, Bft vide, run round the front tin two sides; Theentrance hall is_Bffc wide, containing a bold staircase leadißg.to If first floor. On the ground flotr therein three sitting-rcibnißJbto',: i and alarge di&f room, also good cellarage ahd.s dairy» the basement.; On the first floor thereart: two'sitting-rooms and nine bedrooms, Besides bath-rooms and closets. All tiea rooms have easy access to the balcony, JM on this will be fitted up fire-escapes, * all the bed-rooms are well venWatet Messrs Jones and Pollard, were tiiei** tractors, Mr Mell being the sub : contoc« for the brickwork; the bmldingb«erectel from plans, etc., prepared by Mr *A Eartley, architect '

An organ recKal and sacred concert*" held in All Saints' Church M evening*; aid of the Sunday-school piano W. There was a very large attendance, «J. selections were given as follows.^ «O.i Thee Each T Ln™g t (?• Creation "), Mrs Johns°n, Mf^^.; and "Dona Nobfr, ,^ iWJ tf was sung ty.? ISS Jf s in ? in S thebaritone^| )) Mrj tlie^ Sullivan's "Lost."J^.« At * March of the Pneste, BOstsS >; Theconcerfcon the wholer» lecture on f« Gant," in vwc very practical, manner j« eT J ste?Ss!.s3 Miss Edmonds; d " c V 8 » Comes in F««n Bartlettjgee,"^. Mj» »?JJj Light," Miss

Wellington 12.40 HkW®- -vnd north-west gale nine and ** The match was to and Saracens clubs ; <t n fSe members of the Links j"everal° * iy have resolved to "5* » fty default to the Saratherefore hold the J,! next yew- pretty busy m t aJd a goocl few hundreds hands at from are firm now with of Sftoss2d. and they a fa the !IS» bliyer n,f D alivto the encouraging Srl* an b d v ; sand sellers at that f«, bein* buJ LnpinTrentons at Isbd faff**?**'**'*'* P*"™' v o ,erv successful entertainIβ* nig \L at Graf ton Road schoolpiano fund of the eft "> ald t A Taylor presided, and Ji The follow- «* a3a ,fUs "one through-Piano Kfe a«d Mr Wiseman ; * " Za ThJ"'Mr Green ; recitation, '*lollSrS'I ollS rS'- vocal duet, "Albion," ~H ls g Uiey, . « Dun |)lain duet, Misses pF^ A Srod eritation,Missßibby, Main and Blackburn, ? srtet L andGatland ; violin solo, Mr jests Green Wilson . rccl tation, Stsin?.! 6 °,? o 'c o n£ " I Fear no Foe," Mr **rtt "Music and her Sister Main and Blackburn ; trio, Imeetin* of the Auckland A S eM JEcricfefc Association will be *^ 05e S i he Y.ivI.C.A. Build"tS&S are to be made for this iStitionfor the cup presented Social travellers.