GERMAN RULE IN SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13938, 21 December 1908, Page 8

GERMAN RULE IN SAMOA.

NATIVE MURMURINGS. POSSIBILITY OF TROUBLE. [from OUR own correspondent."] Apia, December 7. During the long absence of Governor Solf in Europe those discordant. clement* of old Samoa, who felt that, they bid. lost power, dignity, and consequence, by the dispersion of the old Faipule (Parliament) and by the appointment of inspectors chosen for their efficiency, and not because of their chiefly standing, began to manifest their d satisfaction. They found fault because the planting law was enforc-. cd against, them as well as against others. They resented controlhowever beneficent it might be. For many years " Lauati," of Safotulafai, has been regarded as a talking-man of consequence—an orator of great ability, second to no one in Samoa. Indeed, by most judges he is deemed the premier speaker, after the florid and descriptive, allegorical style, so dear to native imagination. The peaceful—and to his ambitious soul, the uneventful—flow of German rule was irksome. The show, circumstance, and tribal pomp of native gatherings, where his long addressee had a market, and drew plaudits and deserved encomiums, and where small perquisites flowed in upon him, was far more to his liking. Under the humdrum of daily life, as ho now found it, he felt withered and gasping. He was told, with others : " Retire to your fat lands and villages ; beautify them with good roads; build walls to keep the pigs from defacing your efforts, and sanitate your habitations and surroundings." All this was donedone up to the hilt — but time hung still on his hands unemployed. A very condition to breed dis—idleness and a lack of objective. Nothing more to work for—no incentive. For a Samoan to justly find fault with the indulgent and liberal government provided for the control of the islands is indeed a hard matter. It is not very singular to relate that, notwithstanding the apparently unanimously devised scheme of entertainments to celebrate Governor Solfs re-entry into Samoa, there arose a considerable difference of opinion, which, being unchecked, grew into a political demonstration of more or less consequence, and to this day, though apparently suppressed, there probably lingers those trilling taints and germs which may rekindle into a flame of open am. determined opposition, if not worse than that. Very much depends upon the measures which are taken—not only to suppress the affair itself, but to search out the remote causes whence blew up this blaze, more or less portentous. And having found them out, to explain away, or so readjust affairs, " that exact harmony so long existent will be restored. That the Administration has at last met with an open and expressed opposition is not in the least remarkable. The wonder is that Governor Solf has not long ago fallen -foul of the set of discontents, who, being displaced from imaginary offices, and bereft of unearned salaries, must feel disgruntled and neglected, sore, and inclined for a row. For numberless centuries Samoa was ruled by the strongest chiefs, and their policies, if any existed beyond the moment, were directed by the schemes of the " talkingmen"—native lawgivers, or whatsoever we may style them. Occasionally' the chief himself" would exhibit some little evidences of intellect, and determine to have matters as he chose; but as a rule the " talking-men" or orators, swayed by passions of their own, or momentary caprices, unintelligible, to the civilised researcher, would declare war, make alliances, and set forward enterprises of devastation, the chief throwing himself blindly into the vortex he had not created. '".'". Apia, December 11. The discontent, apparently confined to Lauati, and the Safotulafai district, was, it seems, far more widespread than at ! first supposed. This chief, entirely unafraid of consequences, assembled a large number of discontents on his return to Siivaii, and ! doubtless they have decided on'some concerted action. Governor Solf left for Savaii yesterday, per steamer Dawn, and is making a tour of the island, and will close that tour at Safotulafai, in about 10 days, this being the last point he will visit. Hitherto Governor Solf has always been most successful in his dealings with the natives, and he may be this time just as. successful as on former -occasions but it appears to the writer that at no time since the inauguration of the present Administration has tho problem been so difficult of solution. It is to be understood that no open insurrection or violence is looked for, even by those who believe the situation dangerous. The opposition to the Government— one develops—will probably be along the old lines of passive resistance, and positive disobedience. The Samoan has actually no good reason for \ complaint— is, no reason which the Government cannot compass by small concessions. For instance, they demand to know what moneys have been collected and how they have been spent, what salaries are being paid, etc. A particularised statement of accounts would be likely to answer this; there seems no. good reason why it should not be rendered. The Samoans also advance the following specious argument : —" We were formerly protected by three Powers; if one did ill by us, we could complain and get redress from the othersor, at least, a hearing. On an occasion arising, two Powers retired, leaving us to Germany alone. She was then our protector— more. America took part, of our group, and, assembling the, chiefs, obtained from them an act of cession. All of the chiefs assembled gave away their authority willingly. Germany has never asked or required this of us. We are still the Samoan Government and only under the protection of Germany. Although our Parliament has been dispersed,- we will reassemble. We want to heist again the Samoan' flag. . We will, perhaps, appeal, to our former .protectors to decide if we are not justified." , However this sort of an argument came into the heads of Samoans,, it is hard to say. Not a foreigner here agrees with such sentiments, so far as known, and the Administration .will have the good wishes and the moral "help of everyone who desires peace and progress. Probably-some concessions will be made to smooth the situation temporarily ; but it will not stay quiet unless some objective is provided. ■ Lauati is apparently merely the spokesman of a great number, who may be, or may not be, pacified by concession. The Government has no power at hand to enforce its orders, and it is hoped that no situation will arise for the use of force.