SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 33, 7 February 1906, Page 5

SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

GOVERNOR SOLF ON THE POSITION. In an interview with a representative of the "Hamburger Nachriehten," Govcnor Dr. Solf made the following remarks regarding the political • position in Samoa:— "The actual political question of Samoa, is the native question. Once, at the time of the hoisting of the German flag, the Sainoans stood ready to fight, and if their sensitiveness and their high-ly-developed consciousness had not been spared, bloody scenes could not have been prevented. I have left them more of the apparent than the real independence. I have acted on the welltested methods of the Hollanders, which give to the native the impression that the European official controlling and' actually leading the chief is the "elder brother" .of the chief. The only difficulty, and in a certain measure the.only danger in the way of the administration, .was the body permanently sitting at Mulinuu, the Malo, i:e., the council of chiefs., and indeed those chiefs who, on account of belonging to the majority at that, time, had to be considered at the 'first installations.- I mistrusted the Halo from the first, bnt I had' to patiently await an opportunity for its abolition or reconstruction; This opportunity was given by .the foolish freeing of.two chiefs from the prison in Vaimea. When the chiefs came to pay their respects to me' at my return, I refused to receive them, rarid when they came to make an 'ifoga, , in April, as a sign of contrition and submission', I did not accept it. I .wrote pointed letters to, the Malo, in -which I pointed out its errorin strong language. •I hit ' them hardest when, during my tout round the island,, I addressed the people and held the chiefs up to ridicule. The susceptible and proud Samoan- can endure ridicule least of all, i and as I threatened the chiefs that I would repeat my ' speech elsewhere if ' they did not voluntarily quit Mulinuu, i they vacated that s place. The district ' chiefs who became troublesome by oppressing their inferiors I. have also removed by promoting them to councillors, in friendly recognition of their works, an advancement through which they are limited in their self-esteem. Mataafa has not conducted, liimself quite properly during the past difficulties.. But those who know Satnoan conditions know that Mataafa had to go with the majority of the chiefs. The old man was/placed in an exceedingly \ difficult position; he had to balance be- . tween mc and his own people. He has stood by mc for years, and in the last ' trouble he has also helped to lighten ', the matter/ . . . ■-;■ The experienced judges of Samoan&\ • do not believe in the possibility-of a , rebellion against the whites. And the last muddle, was a purely internal mat- ' ter amongst the chiefs, and was in no wise directed against the Government. But it will always he the aim of the Government to watch over and lead the two great parties of-the land in such a manner that'neither will obtain a positive advantage over, the oilier."