OUR SAMOAN LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8531, 3 April 1891, Page 6

OUR SAMOAN LETTER.

[from our own correspondent.] AriA, March 23, 1891. Very little has happened here since my last. The Chief Justice has not yet opened his Court, nor has he chosen a site for the same. He has, however, done something towards settling the country, by meeting the natives last week and informing them that the tax would have to be paid for the last nine months. The natives agreed to this, and it has been determined by tho King and the Chief Justice bhab the census is to be taken at once, and the tax to be paid into the Treasury by the Ist of July. A dollar per head, man, woman and child, has to bo paid, and this will render the task of obtaining a true census exceedingly difficult, as many children will bo out of the way when the census taker is around. No white officials are employed in the census taking or collection of taxes, and this is regarded as a grave mistake by those who pretend to a knowledge of Samoa. True, matters may turn out very _ different to what many expect, bub it is extremely doubtful that such a chance to make hay while the sun shines will be lost by those who proved themselves such experts as collectors under Brandeis. Beyond this step the Government have done nothing as they aro in want of funds, and this makes it all the more curious why the Chief Justice has nob enquired into the statement of accounts of the late Tamasese Government, to which the German firm acted as treasurers, and from whom there is a large surplus due. An attempt was made last week to sell Mulinuu Point to the Government, but fell through. The Chief Justice was the medium through which this impudent attempt was macro, but as soon as ho learnt the true state of affairs he would go no further into the matter. Mulinuu Point was offered for sale to the King's Government through the Chief Justice, who was much pleased with tho situation, and would have recommended its purchase under ordinary circumstances, but when he learnt, after speaking to the King on tho matter, that the Point was not only in disputo as to ownership, and would entail a lawsuit before tlio Land Commission, bub that the buildings on the land had been erected out of Government funds, lie promptly declined to go on with negotiations, and to allow himself to bo made a tool of.

The barque Alicia floated off the sandbank during the spring tides, and is now lying at anchor in the harbour. She was sold at auction, and was bought by the Trenton and Vandalia Wrecking Company. The company's men being on the spot, were able to make a thorough investigation, and two larcco leaks were found, which having been closed up, very little water is now made by the vessel, and she bids fair to turn out a good investment for her present owners.

The Samoan Time?, which lias always been a most fearless and independent paper, is about to be enlarged to doabledemy size, and part of the paper will be published in Samoan. , Tho Samoans have all a knowledge more or less of geography, and anything relsfting to foreign countries is always of interest to them, but although the Germans have been the dominant power here in past times. Britain, or Peretania, as it is called, is the power and nation in the world, according to Samoan ideas, and Queen Victoria's name is known and honoured throughout the group. Many a young maiden wishing to convey an idea of her own importance, will tell the stranger in joke that Queen Victoria is her mother, bub it is not on record yet that any of tho dusky beauties have claimed the German Emperor as their father. v. Tho natives of Manono, who gave a welcome to the Chief Justice last week, were very anxious to discuss tho right of Mataafa to the throne in preference to King Malietoa; but very rightly the Chief Justice refused to listen to any such talk, and severely rebuked the speakers. The bodies of the unfortunate sailors who perished durinjr the hurricane of 1889, and were interred in our cemetery, are being dug up, and will bo sent to tho States for re-in-terment.

The wet season is almost over now, and we have passed tho time when hurricanes aro seeking whom they may devour, so that life for some nine months now will bo more pleasant in these "dusky isles lying in the dark purple spheres of the sea" than for the last three months. Captain E. L. Hamilton, for many years pilot and Harbour master at Apia, died this morning. The captain had lived here since 1854, and was well known to shipping men in Sydney and Auckland. For many years past he had retired from active work, and lived at his ease at Matautu, where from his kindly disposition and genial habits he was a universal favourite.