THE TROUBLE IN SAMOA

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11888, 11 May 1899, Page 5

THE TROUBLE IN SAMOA

NEWS BY THE MABIPOSA. [Per Press .associimojtf.] ■ , AUCKLAND, May 10. " : The Mariposa brings news from Samoa! up to May '3. No further fighting 'has occurred there. Mataafa's people remain outside the boundaries defined by'the English and American authorities untii the sitting of the Commission. ' . ,- , During the "war Mataafa's forces liave been established within two miles from Apia, . within easy reach of the guns of the warships. They have built and occupied a line of stone forts, fully two miles long, just inland of Apia. Their position was so strong that it could only have been forced at tho cost of a large number of llives. Malietoa's forces foave patrolled nearly all the- country within the specified boundaries, and havo found it clear of the enemy. On May 1 news came in that Mataafa's people were buillding forts inside the western lines, and Captain Sturdee and the Rev Hackett (of the London Mission) rode out and had a friendly talk with the leading Mataa-fa chiefs, who declared that they believed their position Was outside the boundary specified. They readily promised to remoye the camp to beyond the line men-. - tioned by Captain Sturdee, and acted altogether in-an amicable maimer. A strong force of British sailors and friendly natives visited the scene of the Vailele fight recently, and recovered the 'disabled Colt gun which broke down in the engagement there. The rebels' stone entrenchments at Lotapa were ■ particularly strong, and -extended over a milk

Mr Richardson, a settler who has a cocoa plantation, near the deserted Mataafa camp, was there for sis weeks, ini the midst of MataafaVparty, and was frequently in much danger. The rebels would not let him go to Apia. Tlhey told him that they only consented to peace until the Commissioners came, because they believed that the Commissioners would make Mataafa king.