THE SAMOAN “SETTLEMENT."

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3648, 26 January 1899, Page 4

THE SAMOAN “SETTLEMENT."

It can hardly be the case that ‘ the Samoan difficulty has been settled,” as reported from Berlin, unless the British and American Governments have resolved to accept the situation irregularity'" created by the recent revolution, and to recognise Hataafa as tho legally-elected King of Samoa. In the absence oE specific information wo decline to believe that this has been done, for a settlement on these lines would bo a direct and undeserved snub to Chief Justice Chambers, who‘ decided as a matter of law that Mataafas claims were not valid. Such a settlement would also imply that tho Convention of 1889 had been set aside, and that is hardly a thing to ho done off-hand by Ambassadors. There is also a. presumption against the report in the fact of tho removal or resignation of Dr Raffel, the municipal official at Apia who took a prominent part m inciting the Mataafa revolt and m directing the warlike operations. If it had been resolved to set aside the Convention and recognise the new King, we should have expected tho removal or resignation oil the Chief Justice, and the reward and confirmation in office of the German official who planned the “coup.” In order to believe that the whole matter has been disposed of we should have to make several irrational and uncomplimentary 1 assumptions. We should have to assume, first of all, that England and America had virtually agreed to abrogate their functions and to hand over the 1 control of Samoa to the Germans. Next we have to assume that they pocketed the insult to the Chief Justice (an American citizen) which is conveyed in the overriding of his judicial decision and the legalisation of the status of a ruler established by violence, and in opposition to the advice and wish of the English and American Consuls. Then we should require to believe that the sop offered to the offended Powers was the , recall of Dr Raffel by the German Government; and if we could accept all these theories we should he forced to go a step further and believe that the whole .plot had been carefully planned, and that the American and British Consuls were outwitted and outmanoeuvred by. the Germans at Apia—the latter acting with the direct knowledge and approval of their Government and with-the- understanding that as soon as the “coup” was effected the head of the conspiracy would nominally be punished in order to bring about a “ settlement.” ' . There are, we confess, certain aspects of the affair that give probability to the above series of rather wild, theories. The lightning rapidity with which Dr Raffel was got rid of and his successor appointed suggests _ that _ the whole thing was prearrange'* Like an execrated character of old time, he did what he bad to do and immediately -committed political suicide. On this theory, the otherwise inexplicable, conduct of the British and American Consuls in recognising the validity of Mataafa’s sovereignty would be fully explained by assuming that they acted upon prior instructions received,, from their respective Governments. But this, again, would force us to the conclusion that all the steps in the proceedings had been foreseen and calculated upon, and that the Powers of the Triple Control deliberately resolved to allow the Samoans to settle the question of the succession to the kingship by gage of battle.. These hypotheses place too severe a strain upon our credulity; and we therefore incline to reject them and to fall back upon the

simple, straightforward one, that all has happened as set forth in public prints—that the hostilities wore the - Samoans’ rough-and-ready way of appealing against the decision of the Chief Justice, that the British and American Consuls accepted the situation wheri they found the evolution of facts to be against them, and that their reinstatement of the Chief Justice, and Germany’s recall of Dr Raff el, have restored the tripartite balance and left things as they were. If that has been the-course of events, and if such is the “ settlement ” arrived at, no British subject can contemplate the situation with satisfaction, for it means that Germany has by patient intrigue, followed by bold aggression, managed to obtain almost undisputed sway over Samoa, and that British and American influence has sunk to zero. If Britain and America allow Germany to chop and change and repudiate Conventions when it suits her own purposes, they migkt as well retire from Samoa. The islands are of little, commercial value, and will never repay either of the throe Posvers for the money already spent upon them; but their strategic position is very important both to Great Britain and America, and for the latter reason wo’do not believe the people of these countries will approve of proceedings which tend to give Germany a strong foothold in the South Pacific. Nor cun the people of New Zealand view with complacency the growth of German influence at their doors. The Government of this country must see to it that a strong protest is lodged against the “ settlement ” arrived at and against a continuance of a sham triple control which is working steadily in the direction of German domination. All the Premiers of Australasia ought, in fact, to join in representations to the Imperial Government on this question of vital importance. No one would wish to interfere with the Samoans in their choice of a ruler, and if Mataafa is their deliberate selection, he should be allowed to keep the position he now holds; but the essential thing is that the control of the port of Apia and of the external relations of the islands should not bo allowed to pass into tho hands of Germany. The settlement now reported to be made settles nothing, but is of a piece with the timiS, irresolute policy that has all along been pursued in Samoa. The time is ripe for Now Zealand and Australia letting their voice be heard on tho subject; in a short time all protest will be in vain.