OUTBREAK IN SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9161, 17 September 1888, Page 5

OUTBREAK IN SAMOA.

CIVIL WAR RAGING.

MALIETOA'S PEOPLE ATTACKED.

SEVERAL KILLED AND WOUNDED.

£1 DEADLY STRUGGLE

INEVITABLE.

THE ACTION OF THE GERMANS. [from our own correspondent.] Apia (Samoa), September 3. Civil war has at last broken out in these jslands. One engagement has already taken place, and several have been killed and wounded on both sides. And now, while I write, the forces are mustering from all directions, and a deadly struggle for supremacy is now inevitable. The principal source of this rebellion against the present Gerinan-Samoan Government was no doubt their brutal conduct towards Malietoa and his party about twelve months ago, the heavy taxes imposed, and the restrictive and unjust laws that the people have been lately subjected to. This Government has never been popular with the great majority of the people, who have hitherto been prevented from openly rebelling by tho threats of the former to call in the aid of German soldiers to repress it.

For some time past there has been a small party in Upolu who have refused to pay the heavy taxes imposed, and who openly took to the bush and defied the Government. Several parties of armed men have been sent out from time to time to try and capture them, but were never successful in doing so. Lately this party in the bush have been gradually increasing in number, and the other day they had made all arrangements for an attack on Mulinuu, with the avowed intention of killing Tamasese and his principal advisers. This was frustrated by some traitor in their camp, who informed Tamasese and his Government of the intended raid. The next night the Government sent a strong party into the bush to capture and disperse the rebels. Towards morning this party came across a small outpost of the rebels, and, it is stated, at once fired into them. The lire was quickly returned, and kept up for some time, the result being several killed and wounded on both sides. The Government, party then returned to -Apia, and the rebels remained in the bush. Both sides claim a victory, but the advantage is decidedly on the side of the insurgents, who had only about 40 men to about 500 on the Government side. The Government, instead of following up the so-called rebels, calls a halt, and sends word to all men in Samoa who are prepared to follow Tamasese to proceed at once armed to Mulinuu, and all those who do not go there will be looked upon and proceeded against as rebels. The result is that at present they are mustering in all directions. The followers of Malietoa and many of the lato followers of Tamasese, it is said, are going to join the party in the bush, and the righting is to begin in earnest the day after to-morrow. The natives have got an impression, whether true or not, that the German man-of-war will not interfere so long as Germans and German property are not molested. This removes the fear that kept the Malietoa party from lighting long ago. _ Probably the greatest cause of dissatisfaction has been the attempt lately made by Tamasese to obtain the name of Malietoa. He has had bestowed upon him lately nearly all the royal names of consequence in the island, but all these count as nothing alongside the one name Malietoa ; hence the strenuous effort he and his advisers are making to obtain it. It has been long known by those intimate with Malietoa'l people that if Tamasese dared to assume the name of Malietoa they would break out at once in open rebellion. Tamasese has not yet assumed that name, butthereare strong indications that he intends doing so soon, and this is one reason why the Malietoa party have taken advantage of the ill-advised action of the present Government in provoking a war in the way they have done. Rebellion was sure to come sooner or later, because it was impossible the people could stand the heavy taxes that were being imposed upon them, and that for no apparent benefit to themselves, but for the purpose of supporting a lot of German officials in the Samoan Government. There are seven of these Germans running the Government, and doing so solely for their own benefit, and that of the big German firm. There is, of course, no published statement of the Government accounts, but general rumour has it, and I think, on good authority, that the German war vessels got paid for the services rendered Tamasese during the time they made war on Malietoa. Eight houses that were not wanted have been built by artizans from the German man-of-war, for which they were paid by the Samoan Government. One can hardly understand the artizans of the navy of the great German nation being let out for hire, and that to the exclusion of local tradesmen, who were perfectly able to do the work, and who have to pay a license to the Government for being allowed to ply their trade. The materials for a. wharf, to cost about SO.OOO dollars, is, I hear, ordered from Germany, and no doubt German labour will be imported to put it up. This wharf is to be erected on the west side of the harbour, where it is exposed to all the prevailing winds, because in that position it will benefit German property. Germans are the only people who are deriving any benefit from the heavy taxes the poor bamoanshave to pay. The nominal tax the people have to pay the Government is nothing compared to the fines they are subjected for the merest trifles. The magistrate and police get the half of all the fines they impose, so you may imagine how lenient they are likely to be. Some of the laws are most unjust in themselves and tyrannical in their application. For example, the Government have passed and arc carrying into effect a law compelling one part of a district who have paid all their own debts to pay the outstanding debts of the other part of the district. The enforcing of this monstrous law compelling one man to pay another man's debts is, 1 believe, one of the principal causes of the present rebellion. This Government is equally as obnoxious to Tamasese's own people as it is to the followers of Malietoa, and I have been told that large numbers have left it and joined the other party ; but whether their sense of wrongs suffered will lie strong enough to outweigh the old party relationship, remains yet to be seen. The German form of governing here has been an fife failure ; the people have no confidence in them, and consequently will not quiety submit to be governed by them. Their cowardly conduct towards Malietoa will be remembered against them for generations to come. They may engender a feeling of fear, but never one of respect ami confidence. They have had their chance in Samoa, and so far as appearances go at present, have made a mess of it. It is now high time that some of the other countries interested should have a finger in the pie. Hurl it not been for the contemptible truckling of the British Government the conference in Washington would have produced satisfactory results, and Malietoa, the only name you can charm with in Samoa, would have been still here and working smoothly with the representatives of the other nations. What a farce it is to hear Sir James Fcrgusson gravely tell the members of the House of Commons that as the Washington Conference had not yet concluded its sitting it would be injudicious to divulge what instructions had been given to then- representative, when nearly everyone who takes any interest in the. matter knows that the British representative was instructed to vote for German control in Samoa for five years. This Government, with their spirited foreign policy and protection of colonial interests, will now have another opportunity of truckling to Germany by quietly acquiescing in her annexing Samoa outright, and thereby getting posse.---ion of a splendid naval station and rendezvous, from which her men-o'-war can at any time pounce upon the colonies, and unless these lastnamed countries take some decided stand in the matter such will inevitably be the result. Just before closing this, I hear that Malietoa's party intend, if successful, to appoint the ex-King's nephew as regent. The force on both sides now mustered numbers over four thousand, and a great battle is imminent. II in The London Dairy Company receive the host dairies of butter that are marie in the Pnkekohe district. Fresh supplies every day. ' " |