AFFAIRS IN SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11576, 14 February 1901, Page 5

AFFAIRS IN SAMOA.

INTERVIEW WITH DR. SOLF.

Dr. Solf, the German Governor of Samoa, is at present on a visit to New Zealand, undertaken mainly for health* reasons. II? remains in Auckland till Monday, when he will leave for Rotorua. Yesterday afternoon a Herald reporter had a short chat with Dr. Solf on Samoan affairs. ,

Replying to a query by our reporter as to the present condition of the Samoans, Dr. Solf said: "The natives, ore now entirely peaceful. There may, be family feucV jealousies in the future, but no reh ylion against the whites is to be expected. I .have impressed on the natives that they must deliver up their firearms, and before I left I had 1500 firearms and a large quantity of ammunition delivered to me, this being in addition to the arms which were delivered at the close of the fighting. In dealing with the natives I have always respected narivs traditions as far as possible. When I went to Samoa Mataafa wished to be king, and to have a Government entirely of his _ own people, but I declined to recognise him as king, and he gave way. Mataafa is recognised as the most powerful chief in Samoa, and when he consented to a mixed Government, such, as I have now set up, I invented the title of Alii Sili, or big chief, for him There is no royalty about the title, hut Mataafa is tho highest chief of Samoa, and is a member of tho mixed Government, in which Tamaseso also holds a high appointment. Tamasese is now on excellent terms with Mataafa, and the- two parties are consolidated. Malietoa is still in Fiji, but I intend to give him an appointment in the Government similar to Tamasese, when ho returns to Samoa. The Emperor on his birthday sent me a magnificent fue as a present for Mataafa, with which Mataafa was greatly pleased. Tho natives have promised to pay taxes, and I am nearly positive they will do it. I issued an ordinance on the subject, and the taxes are due on March 20. The tax is to be a dollar a head, and as the Samoans have no idea of age, I have made tho taxes due by everyone who knows how to cook and how to out copra. Petty offences among the Samoans are dealt with by the native judges, who have power to inflict fines up to 10 dollars, but for serious offences the natives are brought before the European judge." ' "Are the British and German residents livine on amicable terms?" "Yes. I am much satisfied with the attitude of the British residents. There are to intrigues nor unpleasantness of any sort. I have a Governor's Council, and have two British members on it—Mr. Dean and Mr. Carrathers. There are no differential duties in Samoa, and under our laws Britishers, Americans, and Germans are all in exactly the samo position. The relations between Tutuila and Samoa are very friendly, although there has been a little friction vith regard to the American mailboat calling at Pago Pago instead of Apia. That, however, has not in the least affected the trade of Samoa. The merchants of Apia will not pay extra, freight to bring American ?oods from Pago Pago to Apia, and in consequence tho imports to Apia now come mostly from Auckland by tho intercolonial _ steamers, which co direct to Apia. Otherwise the lelations'betwecn Tutuila and Samoa are very friendly, and there is no meddling with native "affairs by the white residents. The only remaining" difficulty in Samoa is the half-caste question. The half-castes, vho speak broken English, do not like stable Government, and they are the people who stir the natives up to quarrels.