SAMOA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 160, 8 July 1899, Page 5

SAMOA.

CARDINAL MOHAN'S STATEMENTS

A representaive of "The Daily Telegraph" had an interview with Cardinal Moran upon the subject of the statements made by him regarding the recent trouble in Samoa.

The Cardinal said

"I have been told that some persons have laid stress on the use of the word 'missionaries.' Now, as a matter of fact, I endeavoured not to use that word at all, but rather to employ the term 'agents.' And for this reason: I regard the British Consul Maxse and Chief Justice Chambers in their dealings in the present case as simply nothing more nor less than Protestant agents, though probably at present it might not be correct to style them 'missionaries.' I will go further, and say that I believe Chief Justice Chambers began his career in the Southern States of America as a Wesleyan missionary, and in his leisure hours at Apia he amused himeslf with some of his old missionary labours, such as organising Band of Hope societies and other such work. It has been stated in the press that he resided with his old Wesleyan brothers, and Ipresume he took a great deal of his inspiration, with regard to Samoan affairs, from them."

"Do you hold him responsible for the injury which is said to have been suffered by the Catholics?"

"Whoever is responsible, I know for certain that great damage has been done to the Catholic missions "all around Apia. Wherever the followers. Of Tanu went they burned the houses and plantations of the Catholic catechists, and desecrated their churches. Two Catholic churches were plundered and desecrated by them in a most shameful manner. For instance, at Vaiusu, there were two rents in the walls caused by explosive bombs. Tho altar was thrown down,a nd half of it carried away and burned. Two crucifixes were also broken, and the sacred vestments stolen and afterwards torn to tatters. Even the very altar stone was wilfully smashed to pieces, and so that the desecration should be complete the prayer books were torn up and destroyed. The same happened j to the church at Vailele. At Leulumo- J ega the priest, Father Gabet, was on two occasions obliged to take to the woods with his people. The whole village there was destroyed by the bombardment, and the sisters of the convent suffered terrible privations, they also having to seek shelter in the | woods. The damage done! to the j Catholic mission plantation at Vaea \yas, estimated at 10,000 francs, and at Saleufi the entire village was destroyed, and the mission there lost property to the extent of 5000 francs. And I repeat that, notwithstanding all this, one of the officers had the cool deliberation—l will not use a stronger term—to state that, after visiting the places mentioned, he found everything in a perfect state of prosperity. With regard to the missionaries, I really made no specific accusation against them, but they seem to have made themselves the laughing stock of the citizens of Apia by going about ! carrying revolvers during the time of the siege." j