OUR SAMOAN LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9400, 5 January 1894, Page 6

OUR SAMOAN LETTER.

♦ '."■:;,,.:..>, ~■;;;.■' y [FROM OOR CWS QPRRESPOJSrDKNT.] ;'.'■" Apia, December 28. RUMOURS OF WAR. Was clouds are appearing once more upon our horizon, and actual hostilities may break oub at any time. v No one acquainted with Samoan domestic politics believed that lasting peace would follow the suppression of the Mataafa rebellion. Atua and Aana, the eastern and western districts of Upolu, have for a long time been hostile to the central division of Tuamasaga, and it is generally believed they were playing a double game in the late war; It transpired recently that they had come to a determination to bring matters to a crisis. Atua was to mass its forces ab Laulii, a few miles easb of Apia, and Aana was to gather itself together at Faleula, a few miles westward of Apia. Representatives were then to be sent to the Samoan Government at Mulinuu, demanding that an election for a new king should take place at once, and some other minor reforms instituted. Ib was anticipated that in case of an election being held," Malietoa Laupepa would be dethroned and young Tamasesa would take his place. If the demands of Atua and Aana were not complied with, the Tuamasaga, who are the foremost adherents of the Government, were to be simultaneously attacked on both flanks, and in all probability crushed, by the more force of numbers. The scheme came to the knowledge of the Consuls, and the leaders of the movement disconcerted at their secret plans- being revealed, and temporarily alarmed at the solemn warnings of summary punishment by the Treaty Powers, have apologised, and the threatened trouble has been averted. In connection with the affair there were the same sinister rumours which gained currency during the Mataafa revolt, that in the event of war breaking out the white residents were not to be treated with the consideration which has formerly been extended to them. The trouble has been tided over for the present, but it is sure to recur before long. At present there is not a. single warship, and the projected campaign had been planned with an especial view to the faob that there is not likely to be any war vessel here 'for three, or four months. At the approach of the hurricane season they flee from us like frightened hares, though old-fashioned sailing vessels are not afraid to come here, take in their freights of copra, staying for weeks ab a time, calmly ignoring the terrors which scare the powerful steam warships away. ~ A PEERAGE CASK. Whab promised to be a Samoan cause celebre has been settled amicably. This was an appeal taken by Suatelo, a high chief of great influence and authority, to the Supreme Court of Samoa against a decision of a Samoan Court depriving him of his title and lands, and conferring them upon Mailoi. The contesb is an old one, though the present; holder has been possessed of the dignities and privileges for 30 years. He is generally considered the ablest Samoan chief living at the present time, bub he is a co-religionist, and was a sympathiser with Mataafa. Shortly after the termination of the late outbreak, Mailei thinking the conditions favourable brought his action against Suatele in a Samoan Court. There is grave reason to suspect that this tribunal in finding for the claimant was influenced by political feeling. Suatele appealed to the Supreme Court and engaged Mr. R. H. Carvuthsrs as counsel. A keen and lengthy contest was anticipated, but the case was amicably settled. Suatele retains his title, lands, and privileges, bub has agreed to take Mailei to his bosom and tree.?., him as a eon. )' MCARTHUR AND CO. AND. THE MUNICI- ; ~ :' PALITY, V '■ v : ; The action brought by Messrs. McArthur and Co. against the Municipal Council to, recover the sum of £1800 was undefended, and' resulted in the .' defendants t , being ordered to pay £500 immediately, with leave to the plaintiffs to apply for execution for the balance if ib were nob voluntarily paid. The £500 has been paid, and if the Council does not pay the balance very soon execution will be issued. The action was caused by local jealousy. The residents of Matapele object to the Customs office being situated in Apia property, on the land purchased from McArthur and Co., and, therefore, prevailed on their representatives in the Council to block the payment of the money due on the mortgage to McArthur and Co. By doing this they hoped to force the mortgagees to sell the property in exercise of their powers, but as there were simple funds in the Treasury, McArthur and Co.'s solicitor, Mr. W. Cooper, elected to sue for the money due before attempting to sell the property, and there being, no possible defence, the action has terminated in the manner stated. CHRISTMAS. Christmas has passed off very quietly— more quietly than usual; but there has been one very unique celebration, this was a feasb to the Samoan prisoners in Mulinuu gaol on Boxing Day. Mr. R. 8. Stevenson graced the occasion with his presence, accompanied by his wife and family. Most of the prisoners are political ones, bub there are some others, for instance, a Chinaman who attempted to stab a brother Celestial, and Phinease, the educated Samoan gentleman who forged some Government debentures. It was a royal feast, there were 44 pigs, more than 1000 taro, yams, breadfruit, cocoanuts, and other Samoan delicacies galore. Animated by the "Peace on earth and goodwill toward men " spirit, the prisoners generously, out of their abundance, sent a pig and other things to His Majesty Malietoa, who resides near the gaol. The compliment was gracefully acknowledged and the gift gratefully accepted. Similar attentions were paid to the faipule or members of the Government. A SAMOAN DIVORCE CASE. The firsb British divorce suib ever prosecuted in Samoa came on for trial on December 15, before T. B. Cusack-Stnith, Esq., special judicial commissioner. Up bo within a very few months ago British residents in Samoa who had been regularly and legally .married could nob obtain a dissolution of marriage as divorce and suits for nullity and jactitation of marriage were expressly excluded from the jurisdiction of the High Commissioner's Court for the Western Pacific in matrimonial causes. The old Western Pacific Orders-in-Council have, however, been rescinded, and " The Pacific Order-in-Council, 1893," has taken their Elace, and under this Order the exceptions ave been removed. The High Commis sioner's Court has now complete jurisdiction in matrimonial matters, though ib can only be exercised by the High Commissioner himself, by the Supreme Court of Fiji, or by a Judicial Commissioner. The case in question was a suit for dissolution of marriage between Mr. F. W. Christian, a young gentleman of independent means, and his wife, Siva Christian, a lady of Samoan nationality and birth. The present DeputyCommissioner here, Mr. Cusack-Smith, was appointed by Sir John Thurston special judicial commissioner for the purposes of the suib. Mr. William Cooper, formerly of Auckland, appeared for the petitioner, Mr. Christian. The respondent was nob represented by counsel, nor did she appear. By leave of the Court co-re-spondents were dispensed with, as the various persons with whom ib was alleged Mrs. Christian had . committed adultery wore all aboriginal Samoans, and nob subject to the jurisdiction of the court. • The facta of the case were rather peculiar. Mrs. Christian, whose maiden name was Siva Sopepa, was a Samoan girl of the island of Tutuila. Her reputation was of a somewhat doubtful nature prior to her union with her husband, but of this, Mr. Christian was quite ignorant till very recently. In January, 1892, the petitioner was married to the lady according to Samoan custom, the ceremony being. per- > formed by Tofacono, a, Samoan judge. After this the parties lived together amicably as man and wife, and visited Sydney and other ; places. In October of the same year, they were legally married according to British law at the British Consulate, Samoa, the ceremony being performed by Mr. Cusack-Smith, in his capacity as Consul. . Probably this is the first case on record, in which the bonds of | matrimony have been riveted and riven by

7 the same official. The married life of the I parties after this event was very brief. It b lasted less than a fortnight.' Then a quarrel , arose in consequence of the petitioner find- } ing a compromising : letter written by his , wife to a Samoan. She left her home and • lived for a week with a native named Valau. He being warned by ' his' friends, thab she was a white man's wife finally discarded her, and she nexb cohabited for a time with another native named Tusi. Leaving him, she is supposed to have committed further indiscretions with Samoans, whose names are unknown, bub at length she took up her abode with a native named Lepupa, and lived with him as his wife for several weeks until the latter end of June lasb. Ab thab 1 time some recruits were required for the r South Sea Island Show in the Medway I Pleasaunce at the Chicago Exposition. The I Samoan Government had prohibited Samoans from leaving the country for this purpose; but Mrs. .Christian, though an L aboriginal Samoan, was the wife of a ) British subject, and it was considered that y she was at liberty to go if she pleased. She I accepted the offer, and left by the Mariposa. ; Mr. Christian was at the time absent from • Apia, and was nob aware of her intention, i Lepupa, however, strongly objected to her leaving him. He went aboard the steamer, claimed her as his wife, and endeavoured to : take her ashore again by force. His efforts -' naturally caused some little sensation, bub i they were unavailing, and the lady ultis mately reached Chicago, and took a promik nenb part in the Samoan dances given in I connection with the show. The citation ) was served upon her there, bub she took no i. steps in the matter. The evidence adduced > in support of the charges was clear and i conclusive, and a decree nisi was granted, \ to be made absolute in six months. » MISCELLANEOUS. } The Government has paid off the morb- ' gage on Mulinuu, so ib has now a valuable unencumbered asset. The men concerned in the late Tutuila ' trouble have been sentenced to various " terms of imprisonment, and ordered also to pay substantial fines. • Phinease, charged with forging and 6 uttering Governmenb debentures, pleaded ' guilty, and was sentenced to 15 months' • imprisonment. 3 H.M.B. Rapid left here on the 7th instant " for Fiji, New Caledonia, and Sydney. • The new President of the Council, Herr 3 Schmidt, formerly German Vice-Consul 5 here, is expected to arrive by the San Francisco steamer to-day. 1 The Upolu arrived here from Auckland ' and Tonga early on Christmas morning, ' and left for Fiji, Nieuafo, Tonga, and [ Auckland at noon yesterday.