LIFE IN SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15717, 18 September 1914, Page 7

LIFE IN SAMOA.

CLIMATE AND PEOPLE.

SCARCITY OF FRUIT.

fß\' TELEGBAPH—SPECIAL CORSESPONDENT.]

j Wellington, Thursday. j The following are extracts from a letter . received in Wellington from a member of the expeditionary force in Samoa: — I " I am not greatly taken with Samoa, I | although it is a pretty place. It is far , too hot, and the flies and mosquitoes make ; life very unpleasant. The heat is intense' j during the day, and few people stir out, j but after 5 p.m. a cool breeze generally ! springs up, and the people then do the I j grand promenade. They are fine people, ! these Samoans; in fact, I think they are i easily the best of the coloured races. The ! men are big and finely-formed, and the i women possess good figures, as well as comely faces. Some of the girls are real ! beauties, and have already impressed quite 1 a number of our boys. I have been round , to one of the villages two evenings lately, • and have had great fun dancing on the ! green with the girls to the banjo and , mouth-organ music. " We are all disappointed with the fruit. ! Cocoanuts are, of course, plentiful, but Ino one wants them. At Fiji we liked to i get them, but here they are so thick that Ino one will look at them. Green bananas j are plentiful, but the ripe ones are too I dear. Some natives ask a penny each for I them, and consequently our fellows are I holding back. Everyone bathes several times a day here. The natives seem well j contented with their occupations, and j everywhere we are greeted with smiles land ' t-alofa,' which means 'hello.'"

NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS.

EXCITEMENT AT TAHITI.

MERCHANTMAN CAPTURED.

POSITION IN FIJI

I j News received by the Union Company's . steamer Talune, which arrived from the Cook and Society Islands yesterday morning, is to the effect that the people of the island are not feeling the effects of the I war to any extent. As the islands are not connected by cable, very little news of I the outside world and the progress of the war filters through. Newspapers from New Zealand are eagerly sought after. The French soldiers patrol the streets i of Papeete with fixed bayonet*, while all the German business houses at that port , have been closed. The inhabitants of j | Papeete were thrown into a state of excitement when the small French gunboat Tclee arrived there in August with the large German cargo steamer Walkure as a prize from Makatea Island. As already reported, the crew of the Walkure have been sent to the various countries to which they belong. The Walkure is at present lying at anchor in Papeete Harbour, and is guarded by a few French soldiers, while the Telee is berthed at the wharf. I The German officers and engineers of the Walkuro, together with about 20 German residents of Papeete, left Papeete on September 3 for San Francisco by the American schooner S. N. Castle. When i the Talune entered Papeete the schooner i wa6 then just visible on the horizon. As the S. N. Castle could not accommodate ! all the German residents, there are still a ' number residing at the quarantine station ' as prisoners of war. The Talune left Rarotonga last Satur- ; day afternoon for Auckland, and had an I uneventful voyage, not a vessel of any description being sighted during the pas-

Passengers who arrived at Auckland by the Union Company's steamer Navua early yesterday morning from Fiji stated that the voyage was accomplished without i incident. The precautions which were previously taken were abandoned, which would indicate that the Pacific is now J considered to be clear of the enemy's '. ships. The Navua went from Auckland to j Suva with masked lights, but she made i the homeward passage with her lights showing at night. The only vessel sighted was one which was entering Suva as the Navua was coming out. It was learned that the inhabitants of Fiji would not be surprised to see German warships enter Suva at any, time. but the port is prepared for such an event. The Navua brought a cargo of bananas ajid a few crates of cocoanuts, but no copra. THE FINAL SETTLEMENT.

DURATION OF THE WAR

[BY telegraph.—press association.] Wellington, Thursday. After reading a telegram to the House of Representatives summarising the Austrian losses to date. Mr- Massey said he did not think New Zealand or any part of the British Empire would be a German possession- He was beginning to won- . der whether our boys would be in time to reach the front before the final settlement took placeMr. Witty said there was no danger of that. There was a big fight before the allies ,to drive the Germans home, but he did not doubt they would accomplish it in due course.