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GERMANS IN THE PACIFIC.

SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS.

LETTER, FROM THE ANGLICAN PRIMATE.

The Anglican Primate, Dr. Neville, writes &s rallows to t no Dominion: air, —As tue. question or uermany in the Pacific isiiuias is treated as one sail open to ■discussion and i)r. Ckui has recently clone ms host to play upon tne woll-Known brmi&u tendency to comprouuse, 1 think it worth while to compare his recent utterances as to the • ‘non-aggressive policy" pursued by the Germans in feamqa and "'the’ merits they have shown in the protection ot the coloured people" witu facts, which foil under any own observation at a time when Dr. tioif himself was the Gorman Consul in Apia. Dr. tSolf, replying to a speech by Mr. Bail our, declared that "colonisation means mission work. Those -States .which endeavoured to act before the war on the principle of respecting humanity also in the coloured races have won moral right to be colonial Powers. Tnis right was won by Germany ■ before the war.” ■ 1 wish to apply this test to German actions in the Pacific which 1 had the opportunity •of witnessing. My mission, encouraged by the late Primate (Dr. Harper), was purely fmpurposes of religious inquiry. 1 was accompanied by the Rev. A. 11. Kcrkhara, then of Roslyn, and our visit extended to certain islands of the Tongan Group and to Samoa, spending some days in each group. As to Tonga-, 1 need say nothing, although leading natives wore eager to communicate reports of largo gifts of money and other presents from Germany to very influential persons, but on arrival at Apia we found the condition, of affairs much more serious. There was a. triumvirate of three Consuls—English, American, and Gorman—supposed to exercise joint authority with the nominal King Malietoa, but of these the only real power was exercised by the German Consul, acting chiefly through the politico-commercial firm of Godefroi and Co. The English

Consul Was a delicate man. The American was with me daily, and was persuaded that war would break out very soon, the Germans having put up a creature of their own .named Tamaseso, who was to overthrow the followers of Malietoa and so leave the Germans in virtual possession. As to poor Malietoa himself, ho was in fear of his life. The Germans had erected a gallows in front of his house, and declared that if ho dared to come out he would immediately- be hung. Malietoa, having heard that llwas a great officer of Queen Victoria’s! religion, sent Sain, his chief minister, with an urgent request that I would moot him and his council in his private house. Tins, at tho appointed time, Mr. Kerkham and I did, and saw tho aforesaid gibbet at the entrance to the King’s grounds. Tho meeting was conducted with groat formality, seats having been placed for us opposite to tlie King, whoso council were ranged in rows behind him, while Salu, as interpreter, stood at his side. The chief point of the conference was that Malietoa and his council urgently desired that I. would represent to the Queen that he and his mepple anxiously desired that she should take possession of his islands. On my asking why they so much desired this, tho answer came back at once, “Because we know that if she would take care of us everyone would possess his own, but if not nobody will have anything to possess.” I told them, that I was not a person

earnest solicitations to do anything in my power, and before leaving Apia, I wrote to Lord Salisbury, the tjacn Prime Minister, a letto-, for which he afterwards thanked me. I am anxious not to make this letter too long, but before closing 1 ought to just mention two other incidents which afford their own comment upon. Dr. Self’s declaration that in the Pacific “Wo pursue an aggressive policy. We strive for no supremacy.” Taking a walk along the hillside in the cool of an early: morning 1 could overlook the yards at back of the Godefroi premises, What was my surprise to see there a number of young Germans drawing small cannon about the yard, and placing them in one order and sometimes in another. Later on, seeing the manager, I told him what I had seen, and asked him what it meant. He said: “Oh, w v e find it necessary in this climate to give our clerks a good deal of exercise, it keeps them in good health 1” “But how about the cannon?” said I. “Ob!” replied he, “there was a vessel wrecked

hero some years ago. and these are the guns she carried.” Both ho and I smiled a little.

The other incident took place on my departure. In order to return to New Zealand it was necessary for me to take passage by a schooner to Tutuila. about seventy miles off;; in order, to intercept the American mail. We badno sooner got round the point of Apia Harbour than the skipper let down the sail and waited until about a dozen natives came out in outriggers, and jumping on board left their little craft empty. We reached the island in due course and spent a day and a night at Leone, at the extreme point of Tutuila, and early the following morning a half-caste native chief came to consult me, as he felt himself in a difficult position. Ho told me that the men who came over with me from Apia had been arguing with him the whole night, that - ' they had been sent by the Germans and that they had told him. that it would go hard with him if ho and his people did not join Tamasese.

I questioned him. on the matter and ho said, in effect, that Molietoa was the, rightful king and that ho had no quarrel with him. but that he could not get rid of these men, and asked me what he should say to them. I replied; "Bo firm, tell them that you belong to Maliotoa, that you did not ask them to como, and that they could go hack.” I then left. Leone and was fortunate in intercepting the American steamer.

All this affords a sufficient answer to Hr. Solf’s assertion that “wo strive for no supremacy,” and as to this other, affirmation ■'•hat "colonisation moans mission work,” I could say much about the treatment of the native girls in flagrant immorality, hut my letter is already too .long, and I conclude hv saying that I earnestly urge our political authorities to see that the magnificent harbours of Yavua and Tutnila shall never become naval bases of a Power so inimical to the well-being of Australia and New Zealand.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TH19181129.2.36

Bibliographic details

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16301, 29 November 1918, Page 5

Word Count
1,121

GERMANS IN THE PACIFIC. Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16301, 29 November 1918, Page 5

GERMANS IN THE PACIFIC. Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16301, 29 November 1918, Page 5

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