THE FUTURE OF SAMOA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10240, 24 December 1894, Page 3

THE FUTURE OF SAMOA.

j (Feom Oub. Own Coeeespondent.) Auckland, December 6. Chief Jnstice Ide, of Samoa, who arrived in Auckland by the mail steamer, was interviewed by a Herald representative. The political situation in Samoa, he said, was so complicated with, personal matters and with large political considerations that, as the representative of the four authorities —Samoa, England, Germany, and the United States,—it would, he felt, be improper for him to say anything upon it. The notification of the Atua tribe to resume hostilities came within this catagory, so that beyond confirming the accuracy of the information he could say nothing regarding it. An important matter, however, on which he could speak was the work of the commission upon land titles. The commission was initiated for the adjustment and final settlement of all land titles in Samoa—that is, all titles claimed by foreigners. This commission was appointed —one by each of the three Governments —to recaive applications by foreigners for having their titles confirmed—to investigate and report them to the Supreme Court for final action. The commissioners entered upon their duties in May 1891, and by the terms of their treaty were to complete the work in three years. The claims will by the end of thi3 month be all reported ©a to the Suprorae Court for final decision. The American commissioner leaves Samoa by the Arawa, while the German commissioner proposss leaving for home by the Mariposa. "The commissioners have had," snid the Chief Jnstice, "in ronnd numbers 4000 claims of foreigners presented to them for investigation. Of that number by the end of this mouth all j will have beun reported to the court, and something over 2400 of these claims have already been disposed of. When all have been dealt with there will be no laud in Samoa claimed by foreigners but what will have been adjudicated upon, and finally determined. Every title will thus bs fresh, arid baaed upon the court grant, so that no country will have their titles more perfect and complete. No title will any longer be subject to contention and strife. The completion of this work is regarded as an exceedingly important matter for the interests of Samoa and of all foreigners, aud it is couducive also to the peace of Samoa because contests between native and foreign residents over the right to aud ownership of iaad are ended finally. _ The commissioners have given careful and faifchfu attention to their duties, and the result of their labours have contributed very largely to what will be the ultima.cc prosperity of the country. They have made it possible now fur people to make investments, and I do not think there is another group of islands in the South Seas where the titles hava been as expeditiously, as ! completely, and as finally settled. The sals of further lands by natives to foreigners is prohibited by the treaty, so that all lands purchased now by one foreigner from another have an absolutely good title. They may take lands from the natives, however, on lease for not exceeding 40 years when approved by the Chief Justice, and' taey may purchase lands from the natives in the municipality of Apia, subject to like approval." In a general conversation Chief Justice Ide mentioned that the crop of copra this year is the largest Samoa has produced for years; and ia spite o£ the

I political troubles of late the export would be oorre3puac!ingty large. Thsre had beea some fever prevailing recently, this being attributed t3 the excessive dryness of the past five or six mouths, which hail prevented slow streams or sw&iaps from being flashed, as was usually the case after a heavy rainfall

DEATH OP R, L. STEVENSOS,

Auckland, December 17.

By the Upolu, which arrived from. Samoa to-day, intelligence was brought of the death on the 3rd insfc. of Mr Robert Louis Steveaiion, the celebrated novelist. The deceased was bard at his work till 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Two hours later he complained to his wife of strange pains ia his neck, and almost immediately became unconscious. The members of his family were called in and medical assistance obtained, but when the doctor arrived he saw bo hope, and Mr Stevenson expired at 8.10 p.m. The cause of his death was apoplexy. Kr Steve ison'a health of late had b«en so imjroved that his relatives hoped his lung trouble had gradually ceased to be absolutely dangerous, though for a loag time hemorrhage had been in evidence. It was also hoped that the predictions of the family that his forty-fifth year would be SR.fely passed, and that the sensitiveness o£ his lung would disappear, might be verified. Apoplexy was not contemplated. Mr Stevenson, being for a time in robust health, had put through an enormous amonnt of work. A very powerful novel, to be called "The Weir of Hermisfcer, or The Justice's Clerk," was about half finished, and its author was looking forward to its beicg launched on the literary world as one of his beat productions. Immediately previous to the attack Mr Stevenson was superintending the manufacture of a special salad dressing. He suddenly felt pains ia the head, and almost instantaneously fell down. He was laid on a small bedstead, and there remained surrounded by his family til! the end. His face wore such a calm and composed look that it wag difficult to realise that life had departed. On Tuesday the remains were intered on a plateau on the summit of Mount Vala, 1300 ft above the ssa level. The service wa3 attended by 20 Europeans and 60 Sainoans, and was highly impressive. It may be of interest to mention that Mi Stevenson was a nephew of the iate Mr Balfour, provincial marine engineer of Otaga, whose useful career was cub short by death Irom drowning.

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (generally kuowu as Louis Stevenson) was born in Eom« burgh November 13, 1850, and is a, son of Thomas Stevenson, the author of " Lighthouse Optics." He was educated at private schools and at the University of Edinburgh; and was called to the Scottish Bar, but travelled and devoted himself to literature. One of his earliest works was an accoant of his travels in California, but the book which established his reputation as a writer of fiction was " Treasure laland," published in 1883. Amongst the mo3t popular of hiß works is "Dr .Tekyll and Mr Hyde," which was dramatised and played at the Lyceum Theatre in 1888. Me Stevenson has also written a life of his father^ the celebrated lighthouse engineer. The New York " Critic" says of Robert Louis Steven* sou : " Truly in his power to harrow up fcha soul, freeze the young blood, &c., Stevenson is unsurpassed by modern writers. We feel our flesh creep on our bonea as we sit absorbed in soma of his weird and witch-like tales. Then, though we may be ashamed to confess it, we seem to lose our years, and shrink into an eager, uninitiated bay once more an we huddle over 'Treasure Island,' or 'Kidnapped,'' The New Arabiau Nighta,' cr 'The Black Arrow,' letting the hour hand go on to midnight unheeded. We may protest that it is the sheerest juvenile nonsense in the world, but none the less are wg held by the spell. There are no pauses, no tame meanderiags when we might break away and be gone, but the racy narrator hurriesuson over adventurous by-ways, twisting and turning, bursting upon new surprises, dashing into dangerous pitfalls, until breathloss we come plump into an unwelcome Finis, and close tSIiJ book perforce."—"Men of the Time."