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Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 1, 6 October 1877, Page 2

The Bishop.—The Bishop of the French Catholic Mission of Samoa, left

here on Monday morning last, by the French war steamer Seignelay, for Tahiti, en route for France, for the benerit of his health, Re will probably be absent for twelve months. The War at Wednesday last, several members of the Native government left here for Tutuila in the schooner Up >lu, for the purpose of using their influence in trying to prevent the threatened war. We sincerely hope that they may succeed in their mission, and that some amicable arrangements will be come to between the contending parties. Samoan Affairs.—" The letter wo publish from Lord Derby, Secretary of State for Foreign Allaire, to the Chiefs of Samoa, seems t<> show that for the present, at any rate, England has no intention of occupying Samoa. Lord Derby very justly,states with regard to the collision between the Sanioans and the crew of the Barracouta, that there could be no doubt but that the Samoans were the aggressors. This was manifest from the accounts received and published some time ago. Still, it seems that Lord Derby does not think the English, or at all events the English Consul, was entirely free from blame, judging from his statement that a new Consul is appointed to represent the Queen at Samoa, as unless his predecessor had acted in some way or other injudiciously, what need would there be of superseding him '. Yet he isj superseded, and the appointment of his successor is held out as a proof of the interest which Her Majesty's Government takes in the well-being and prosperity of Samoa. Attention to the I recommendations of the new authority | i-< recommended, and the Samoans are i forgiven on the supposition that they] h-.ve dune wrong once, but promise not | to do it again.' The foregoing is from i the Auckland 'Weekly News," of I j August 11th, and although we cannot ! charge that journal with misrepresenting j facts, stiil we think it only just to Mr. I S. F. Williams, to correct the error our contemporary has fallen into. Mr. Williams took charge of the Briti.'.h Consular Oriiee as Acting-Consul upon the departure of his father, the Consul, [for Now South Wales, on account of 'stay in Australia, he died, and in due ; course of time Mr. S. F. Williams sent I an application to the Home Government I to be appointed Consul in the room of his father, deceased; to this an answer I arrived, about the time of the disturbance between the Barracouta and the Natives, to the eri'eet that the British Government had in view other arrangements for the disposition of the Consular Otnee in Samoa, but that until further instructions should arrive he was expected to act as hitherto. The conclusion we have I come to upon the matter is that as Mr. ' Williams had never been appointed j Consul he certainly could not have been I superseded, and therefore the implical tions of our contemporary that he was superseded for acting injudiciously I during or before the Barracouta fray I must be a gratuitous assumption on their I part.

' Scene in Court.—23rd August, 1877. Chief Justice on Bench. In re Stewart, Cooper, and Co. Hon. the Attorney-General: " I appear for the Bank of New Zealand, My Lord, the judgment creditors." Mr. P. S. Solomon : " I appear for Messrs. D. Levy and Sons, My Lord." Mr. J. S. Hobday: " I appear for Messrs. J. C. Smith and Co., also judgment creditors, My Lord." Mr Win. Fillingham Parr: " I appear for Mr. Hennings, My Lord." Mr. C Truscott: I appear for the defendants, Stewart, Cooper, and Co. My Lord." The devil catch the hindmost.—" Fiji Times."

Fiji Insolvent Covrt.—The " Fiji Times," of September sth, publisher tha following : Take notice that James Broughton Murray Stewart, of Levuka, in the Colony of Fiji, aforesaid, Merchant, lias applied to the Court to be" adjudicated Bankrupt under section tour of th'j Bankruptcy Ordinance, 1877. The Court ho* appointed the lath day of September, instant, at 11 o'clock, for the hearing of the petition, when the petitioner will he publicly examined. Dated this fourth day of September, 1&77.

Fixes vvoh thk Nativk GOVERNMENT -A few weeks ago n lflt.ter was received by the Tftimim and Faipuli, (or Native Government), address I to them bv tho British Consul, levying the following tines:—For the collision between the natives and British warship tyirracotil.i. SI0.0OO; for an UMU.It oflerod to fl B M's representative in these waters—Commodore Uoekins 110,000 i'oi ip .iiiioiii/. en.l tlironltuiitn: tinBptl hi' n ulate upon two •« rs lon In

Ml-" month of July, with flrearnu HO.OOO and for various claims made by I Brill hj snbjecl ■ both in the presenl and I oil iiui. .. 130,000, ,ui leas I'iinl i A the decision of Hoi British MahMti i pin the matter, the Islands :>>>• hi i.i it e&rity Whether (his will receive the of the Brjt di Government or • ■ ■ !•■ t tote si mi

I>IVI\K Sikn |, t I', ii. • . >« Du !.J ■he Brst S ludaj in the 111 mih th K ■ |>i i;, . a fumcr ■■ I i>a bold Divine Scr< ice in Um I • • i ;. the London Mission S KHety, in the evening, at TIM. A SiUAXiiL PBOCEEDIXO. Dii the night of the 26th of Septeml u> our town was thrown into a great state of excitement, by the landing of s considerable number of armed men from tin- French war ship, Seignelay, who marched down the road towards the western end of the town. Various speculations were entered into regarding the object of the landing, when the American Consul was met, and after a conversation between him and the officer in charge, they wended their way still further westward, and came to a halt in front of the house lately occupied by Mr. Colmesnil. Mr. Hunt who was in charge of this home, was in-side of the fence, and intimated that that' waa British property, and they could not enter. He was then asked if a person of the name of Captain Wright was in there, for if so, they Wanted to arrest him on behalf of 'the United States Consul, as a rebel ajwinst that gentle-

men's authority. Upon being informed, that the person they sought for was n it there, the company wheeled oil' towards Matautau. After passinj the store of Messrs. (i. J. Smith, and Co., and returnin'; again, a halt was conn; to in front of those premises, and a demand litre made to he allowed so enter tiie house, and search for Mr. WVight, but those who

were in charge of the premises objected, and told the officer in charge, that it was British property, (pointing at the same time to the British flag which was Hying over head), nnd informed him that if lie brought a search warrant from the British Consul he would be admitted at once. This was not done, howevsr, and after a protest in writing had been given to the officer in charge, a forcible entry was made, by smashing in a large window and scattering the glass all over a person by the name of Forster, who was lying sick ill bed, immediately under it. The object of their search, however, was not to be found, and the party then retired. The most ludicrous pare of the affair was, that during the time that the search party were breaking into the store at Matautau, Captain Wright met the Commander of the man-of-war, and asked him if his men were looking for bim, for if so, he was a*, their service ' but the Commander said it. was a person bv the name of Dunn thtt they win tod We believe, that it is nothing but right that the Commander of hj man-of-war of any nation, should help the Consul of another friendly nation, particularly in a country like this, to maintain laM" and order, but we contend that it is also as much his duty to ascertain from the proper authorities, the p union of any r 7 i /•■.' ' i ~i5"T Ll " e t0 enter to aid SUCh Consul BefOru Mio uaiuil iu c;m --j [ of the French men-of • wars men entered the propertv at Matautau, by for :e, he undoubtedly had a right to consult the British authorities here. Sports fob Boxi.n'O Day.—ln this issue will be found a prsliiuinary notice to those pessons desirous of getting up some sports for the forthcoming holidays. We sincerely hope, that when the time for the meeting is announced, a good attendance will be obtained, and that they will work to get up some good sports to relieve the monotony of every da" lifo in those Isiar.il;;.