LATEST NEWS FROM SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7272, 10 March 1885, Page 5

LATEST NEWS FROM SAMOA.

MORE GERMAN INTRIGUES. L»BOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Apia, February 24. Vert little of importance has transpired since I wrote to you by E.M.S. Miranda, via Fiji, on the 12th inst. The rebels, who dispersed while the English man-of-war was here, have again assembled at their headquarters, and threatened attacks on the Government are almost daily reported, but I believe Samoans make preparations and threaten a long time before they begin to fight; so it may be some considerable time before they actually come to the fighting point, if at all. The other day the King wrote to the three Consuls, stating that he heard from some of his scouts that the rebels were about to attack him, and in consequence he wished to be relieved from that olanse of the convention which prohibits all assemblages of nrmed men within the municipal boundaries. The houses where the members of the Government live being within the prescribed boundaries, he could not assemble an armed force for the protection of himself and Government without coneent previously obtained. There is also • a supplemental clause, or note, to the couvention, I believe, which states that if the King under certain circumstances finds himself unduly hampered by the prohibition of armed assemblages clause, he may consider it without force. Botb the American and English Consuls considered the circumstances warranted the King taking the precaution he thonght necessary of keeping a pretty large armed force to protect the seat of Government; but the German Consul, pursuing his usual tactics, objected, and said he would disperse any such assemblage by force if necessary. Through this line of action the Government run the risk of being attacked at any moment without being allowed the power to protect themselves. The German being the only Consul who has the services of a man-of-war at his command, he can do, and does, pretty much as he likes. He certainly has so far carried thinga with a very high hand. If Germany and Britain have agreed that neither shall annex, but that things shall go on as hitherto, the former will have to withdraw their present Consul, and supply his place with a man of more moderate views, and who has sufficient strength of mind to depend upon himself, and not be the tool of Mr. Weber, if they do not want tho future Government in Samoa to be a succession of consular disputes. A rumour is current here that the recent agreement come to by Germany and Britain is that the municipal control shall be extended over the whole of the islands. This arrangement might do very well for a time, provided the Consuls were all moderate in assorting and carrying out their views, but judging from what has passed I am afraid they are not likely to be that, hence tho praotical difficulty of such Government. In a very few years at most I believe that either Britain or Germany will have to annex, and as the latter appears to be very anxious to do so, and Britain the reverse, it is not difficult to prophesy, unless colonial pressure is brought to bear, what flag will ultimately float over these beautiful islands. I think, seeing the importance of their possession to New Zealand, that the people, through their Government, should insist upon their immediate annexation to Britain, or the Queen's signature to Sir G. Grey's Bill, so that New Zealand would be in a position to step in at any opporlrune time and do for themselves what the Imperial Government evidently will not do for them. Delay will only play into Germany's hand, she being active, and Britain perfectly passive. One thing, I think, is very evident to anyone living here for a time—and that is that the Samoans in their present stage of civilisation are quite incapabJe of forming a stable government from amongst themselves. The missionary and trader have completely broken the once absolute power of the chief over his family or tribe, and the people are not sufficiently civilised to govern collectively. Although very intellectual for savages, they are still a long way from that state when government by constitutional means becomes possible. The only chance for progress in these islands lies in their being taken possession of by a country strong enough to enforce law and order amongst both blacks and whites. Were such a government once established capital would soon follow to develop the lat«nt resourced of the country. We are daily looking for the return of H.M.S. Miranda. When the captain left he Baid he would recommend the Consul - General at Fiji to order his immediate return here. Considering the attitude assumed by the Germans, and the rebellions feelings they are fostering amongst the natives, I think it is absolutely necessary a man-o'-war should be stationed here to protect British interests until matters are definitely settled. The Consul here, and the captain of the man-o'-war, are both strongly of that opinion, and yet it is quite in keeping with the present Government policy to order her somewhere else and leave us in the lurch, and to the tender mercy of the German, If the man-o'-war does not come back it had better never have come at all, because it gives colour to the report that the Germans have spread amongst the natives, that England haa entirely given the King and Government up, and that the man-'o-war came for the Bole purpose of preventing the New Zealand Government rendering Malietoa and his Government any assistance. Mr. Lundon left here for Auckland a few days ago. He did not succeed in getting any of the natives to go with him. A few promised to go when he came first, and had they gone then they might have done some good, but later information ehowod them that the New Zealand Government had done all they possibly could to force the Imperial Government to annex, and that their visit to New Zealand could not alter matters politically. Of course the trip weuld have opened their eyes to a state of things they have at present no conception of.