THE LATEST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 85, 12 April 1899, Page 2

THE LATEST.

f ARREST OF A GERMAN".

PRESENT AFFAIRS AT SAMOA,

(From Ou. Own Correspondent.)

APIA, April G,

Mr Hufnagel, manager of the Vailele plantation, is now under arrest on a charge of giving misleading information as to Mataafa^s force. He is detained on board H.M.S. Tau. anga, the captain of which declined a request from the Falke to surrender him to that vessel. , It is considered absurd to send email forces into the bush to operate against some 5,000 rebels. After the recent reverse at Vailele orders were given that forces were not to go far from town. ' The best thing to do is iqr Great Britain to annex Samoa. It is belieyed that Mataafa would be agreeable to this course. It is said that the Germans are still supporting Mataafa in various ways, and that 'sniping-' _has "been lately carried on from the shelter of German houses in Apia. . / The number of Mataafa's force engaged at Vailele are variously estimated at from 800 to 2000. So far it is stated that about a hundred boats belonging to the rebels have been destroyed by the warships. This is done with the object of confining the Mataafa party to Upolu. On the afternoon >of the day the R.M.S. Alameda left Apia for Auckland, H.M.S.. Porpoise steamed out with about 100 MaHetpa men who had been previously brought from Tutuila, and who were under the charge of LieUt. Gaunt, in order to bombard some more of the coast villages occupied by Mataafa's men. It was intended that the ship should shell and destroy a number of villages on the other islands, besides Upolu, and destroy all the boats found belonging to Mataafa's partisans.. Nearly every house in Apia has been damaged in course of the fighting, or riddled with bullets. The Mataafa. natives have, moreover, looted many of the houses and destroyed furniture and clothing notably at the residence of the Chief Justice. This gentleman's clothes and furniture and his wife's belongings were found to have been destroyed. . ' On the Monday after the Vailele fight, the four warships, Philadelphia, Tauranga, Royalist, and Porpoise, shelled various rebel localities near Apia, the noise of the bombardment continuing for several hours. MORE TROOPS WANTED. It is stated at Apia that additional troops are needed from Sydney ■Hrr Auckland, and that they were to be asked for. It is also reported that tile American Commander is considering the desirability of sending to Manila for troops.