THE SAMOAN CHIEFS AND SIR ARTHUR GORDON.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 1761, 26 June 1877, Page 4

THE SAMOAN CHIEFS AND SIR ARTHUR GORDON.

When the Samoan chiefs n ent on the 23rd April and presented a petition to the Governor of Fiji as Lord High Commissioner of Polynesia, and one to Her Majesty the Queen, asking for British protection, Sir Arthur Gordon asked them to state, after having consulted together, what nature of protection they required. On the 12th May they again met the Governor, and presented the following address : — " Draiba, 12th May, 1877. To his Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon, Governor of Fiji. Your Excellency, — Your Excellency has asked us to explain the nature of the assistance we ask for ; this we are unable to do, a3 we have no authority, without further reference to those who sent us, to do more than present the petition wo brought with us ; but we beg to add, your Excellency will be pleased to speedily send one of the ships of war from the fleet of her Majesty to protect us at the present time agaiust any troubles likely to arise and cause difficulty to our Government, until we receive a reply to ourpetition from her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain. — Tamma and Taipule, of the Government of Samoa. By order of the Tamma and Taipule, W. L. Lemamea, Secretary." His Excellency, having received the address from the aide-de-camp, read the following reply : — "I regret to find that you are unable, without further reference to Samoa, to explain to me the exact nature of the aid and protection asked for m the petition to the Queen, and m that tojmyseli which you communicated to me when, we last net,

"I haro forwarded to tho Queen th° j petition which you havo addressed to me ; ] but it is right that I .should tell you th;;:, j unless it is accompanied by a more clear | explanation of your wishes than is eon- i tamed m either your petition to the Queen ) or to tho one presented to me, it is im- I possible that you should receive any pro- j ciso or clear answer. i

" You ask for protection ; but this is a. | wide word, and the possibility <>f granting j it depends entirely on the nature of what ' is asked for. i hope, therefore, that you will 1030 no time m obtaining from thosewho sent you a full explanation on this subject. If your wishes are such as appear reasonable, I will do my best to support them ; but tho Queen of Gnat Britain will not assume undefined and uncertain responsibilities, nor could I adviso that her Majesty should do 30. " I am, however, sure that there will be a desire on tho part of her Majesty's Government to consider your wishes with attention when once they are clearly and plainly made known ; and I shall myself bo anxious to comply with any request you may mako of me, if it l^e m my opinion consistent with my duty and your own true welfare. " You will probably find an English ship of war at Apia on your* return ; but I must warn you that it is impossible for an English man-of-war to interfere either m the internal disputes or tho differences with foreign Powers, of a Stnto. over the government of which Great Britain has no control, and for the actions of which she is not responsible.

" It lias afforded me much pleasure to sco you here, and it is ir.y hope that your visit has been agreeable to yourselves and aft'orded you satisfaction, it is, I trust, only the forerunner of more frequent intercoiirso between the two groups of islands. " And now, wishing you a prosperous voyage and all happiness m returning to your homos, I bid you farewell."