AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6551, 3 August 1899, Page 2

AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT.

An Auckland telegram staltes that an unpleaaint incident occurred during the visit of the s.s. Waikare to Samoa on her present excursion trip. On the occasion of last year's trip a bal was given at Apia by the Union Steamship Company, a_d pi-act-caily all the local residents, irrespective of nationality, wera invited. On Hhaa ocaasion «it was understood tihat the company is. to give a similar 'function ait Fiji, so that the Apia residents did not expect one, but on July 24, after the steamer's arrival, a ball was given Ho the officials and men-of-war officers. It is currently stated that the manager of a German _nzri, -who are agente for the mail 'boafes, was asked to assist in compiling the list of invitations for residents, and that, consequently^ the invitations, which otherwise would have been sent to the British residents, were omitted. German clerks were conspicuous enough, but, with about two exceptions, no Britishers, other than officials were present. Tana and Tamasese attended, qnd it is stated (that their presence gave an excuse for the German officials to . leave at an eariy hour. It ,had .been arranged by : the -.officers, of the German warship Cormora'n "that 'their steam launch' and boats should form a procession with the steaaner's passengers, tout iafter the ball an excuse was made tha* the procession could not take place. Captain Stewart, of H.M.S. Tauranga, however, kindly placed his ship's boats and 'band at the Waikare's disposal, -ukl an enjoyable evening was sn-ent in this way' by 'many of the passengers.