SAMOA

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 146, 22 June 1899, Page 5

SAMOA

SUCCESSFUL DISARMING OF

NATIVES.

NATIVES TO BE COMPENSATED

TOWN AND COUNTRY RESUMING THEIR NORMAL CONDITION.

COMMISSIONERS UPHOLD CHIEF

JUSTICE CHAMBERS

MALIETOA DECLARED KING AND

VOLUNTARILY

RESIGNS

SATISFACTION AMONGST T3RILTSH AND AMERICAN RESIDENTS.

RECOMMENDATIONS RE FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA.

(From our Special Correspondent.)

APIA, June 14

By last 'Frisco mail I advised you of the disarming of the Mataafa natives. The Badger, which had gone down the coast to receive the guns, returned to Apia about 3 p.m., and

.lirectly the result of her mission was known the Malietoa natives began to come fri with their guns. From --;ix o'clock that evening, all through the long hours of the night and well up till noon of the next day, natives passed in a more or less continuous stream to Mulinuu Point, the seat of government, to hand over to the naval authorities there all guns and ammunition. By, mid-day on the Ist June over 2,000 rifles had been given up, and the question of disarming, which for years has been considered a most difficult problem, was practically settled. Nearly 4,000 rifles within 34 hours was a i%ecord of which the Commissioners may justly feel proud. If no further good resulted from the Commissioners' labours, the fact that they had by peaceable means disarmed the whole of Samoa ought to be sufficient to justify their appointment. The warships could have carried out the work, but at what a cost? Possibly only by great loss of life and destruction of property. PROCLAMATION BY COMMISSIONERS. On April Ist a proclamation was issued by the Commissioners warning the natives that any arms found in the possession of the natives after June 20th will be confiscated, and the person in whose possession they are found will be liable to a fine of 100 dollars or 30 days' imprisonment. The natives are to receive full compensation for the arms surrendered. THE NATIVES GOING HOME AND SETTLING DOWN. During the day the U.S. armed collier Brutus left for Tutuila with a number of Malietoa natives belonging to there. She also took up some of the staff of contractors for the erection of the U.S. coal stores and jetty at Pagopago Harbour. Prominent Mataafa chiefs visited Apia j during the day, and as feeling ran • high between the rival parties several petty cases of assaults were reported, none, however, close to the town. Although feeling was very strong between the natives for the first few days after the delivery of , arms, since then it, has cooled down, I and it is quite a usual thing to meet j Mataafa natives .^occasionally in the streets. AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT. The warships of the different nationalities have been engaged in returning the friendly natives to their homes. Rather an unpleasant, incident occurred in connection with this. The German Commissioner, so it is said, urged that the Falke (German warship) be employed to take over a number of Malietoa natives to Savaii, on the grounds that it would show to the Mataafa people that Germany was acting in accord j with the other Powers, and would tend to restrain any evidence of illfeeling likely to be shown by the rebels to the other party on their disembarking. The Malietoa natives were much annoyed at the idea of going over in what they termed a "Mataafa" man-of-war, and a number refused to go. A great many went, however, but apparently regretted doing so afterwards. It seems that the Falke, on leaving here with the German Consul' General on board, proceeded down the coast to the rebel camp and lay off there, whilst a boat was sent with the Consul-General to meet one of the Mataafa boats, having on board Lauati, the principal talking man belonging to .the rebel party. The Consul and this talking man" held a conference in the boat, and then returned to the" ship, ac^ companied by several very prominent highchiefs of the Mataafa side. Directly on boarding the vessel the Malietoa chiefs, who had been on the quarter deck conversing- with .the officers, were ordered to another part of the ship and their favoured places were taken by these Mataafa men. The King party looked upon this as a great slight, and were very much hurt about it. On the Falke arriving at her destination she landed all the natives belonging to that district, and wanted to land, also a party belonging to another district some 40 miles away. As this party justly said, they would have been exposed to a great ri's'fc' -In having to .travel by land over 40 miles of country, principally occupied by their enemies, and they refused to go. The result was that the*Falke returned them to Apia, and later on they were taken to their homes by a British man-of-war. Probably there was nothing in this incident, that the intention was well meant, but. the- natives chose to look upon it as. they did, and after all one cannot help thinking that it was an unwise thing to do on the part of the authorities.

PREVALENCE OF BITTER FEELING.

For a few days after the Commission proclamation de disarming a good deal of bitter feeling was evinced between the two parties and numerous little squabbles and rows occurred, but I think that things are quieting down again now, as I notice many Mataafa people around Apia busy making purchases and re-erecting the houses, etc. This bitter feeling extended to the white residents, and several instances are heard of where the German merchants here sent peremptory, notice? to those indebted to them that accounts must be satisfactorily arranged for. This feeling is, I suppose, more or less natural and will die out in h ahort time.

THE GUARD ASHORE WITHDRAWN.

On Saturday, 3rd June, the principal body of the land guard was withdrawn, as thiug-s having practically settled down, and there being' several cases of fever it was deemed advisable by the naval authorities to remove the men to their ships again. Only a small guard was left at Mulinuu, the seat of Government.

ARRIVAL OF THE JOHN WILLIAMS.

On the 4th the Missionary ship John Williams arrived, appropriately enough, it being- Sunday, and practically the inauguration of a period of peace.

DEPARTURE OF THE PORPOISE

On the Bth the Porpoise got orders to leave for Sydney; via Fiji. By her also went Mr Gurner, of the Royalist, and 27 men. Mr Gurner and his squad had been left here by the Royalist to assist in maintaining the guard ashore, and by his tact and urbanity had made himself a most popular officer here. Of Captain Sturdee and the officers of the Porpoise too much praise cannot be said. They have been the principal actors throughout as far as warships were concerned, and none had s'liown more consideration for the Samoans than the Porpoise. 1 know for an absolute fact that when bombarding" Captain Sturdce refrained many times from firing on boats, saying that if the poor natives wished to clear out he would not fire on them. No one knowing him can but admire the loyalty and devotion he exhibited for a cause which he had espoused purely as a matter of duty.

DEPARTURE OF HIGH OFFICIALS

Consul Maxse (British) and ConsulGeneral Rose (German) both leave here on the 17th for home. Consul Maxse has three months',leave to escort Home Mrs Maxse, who has been very unwell. Consul-General Rose does not return. I hear that Chief Justice Chambers and family leave shortly, his son preceding them by the same mail as the two Consuls. The Chief Justice, so it is rumoured, has been offered a high position by President Mcßinley, as he insisted upon the President accepting his, resignation after things were all settled here.

THE CHIEF JUSTICE'S DECISION

UPHELD

The Commissioners have issued the

following proclamation:—"Whereas the Great Powers'of Germany, Great Britain and the United States of America, for the purpose of restoring tranquillity in the islands of Samoa and establishing* a Provisional Government therein, have invested the High Commission with supreme power and | authority, and whereas the decision I of the Chief Justice declaring Malietoa Tanumafili to be Icing- is considered by the High Commission as valid and ; binding, and whereas the said Maile- ■ toa Tanumaflli has voluntarily tenJ dered to the High Commission his rei signation as king, and the same has j been duly accepted, and whereas the High Commission has decided to abolish the office of King of Samoa, now, i therefore, notice is hereby given that : during the stay of the High Commis- ! sion in Samoa, unless orders to the i contrary are issued, all the officials > duties of the king and his councillors I will be performed by the three Con» ! suls of the Great Powers, a majority jof whom are authorised to act in all I cases where by the Treaty of Berlin ! unanimity of action is not required. I The Chief Justice will continue to exercise the duties of his office. Dr. Solf is authorised to enter upon the duties of his office as President of i the Municipal Council of Apia, and all j other officers of the said municipality j will continue to perform the duties of their respective offices. BARTLETT TRIPP, High Commissioner of the United States. C. N. E. ELIOT. Her Britannic Majesty's High Commissioner. H. STERNBURG, High Commissioner of Germany. Apia, June 10, 1899. The wording of this proclamation is suggestive. The clause stating that the decision of the Chief Justice that j Tanu is king- is valid and binding seems to me to indicate that our officials were right and the German Consul wrong. If that decision is recognised as valid and binding the action of Kautz, Sturdee, Stuart and all the others must be right. They only acted as they did in order to uphold a decision which is now admitted \ after full enquiry to be valid and binding. What would have been said if these officers had acted like the German Consul-General and the captain of the Falke? Can there be any doubt as to whom was wrong?