TROOPS AT SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2376, 4 February 1915, Page 6

TROOPS AT SAMOA

NEW YEAR HOLIDAY SUCCESSFUL SPORTS (Auckland "Herald" Correspondent.) Apia (Samoa), January 26. Never before had so many young New Zealanders gone to bed in peace and quietness on New Year's Eve. Military life and discipline do not encourage the old Scotch custom of seeing the New Year in, and, except for a few dances at Mr. Roberts's , house, and the town pickets on the streets, the rest of the iorco were asleep at twelve o'clock. Not that the natives did not do their best to enliven matters. They let off crackers and squibs all night long, and at about 3.30 a.m. a native band started to play until they were bribed to leave by the long-suffering men. New Year's Day was one of the finest and hottest days that we have had in Samoa.. It was not on the programme, and Europeans were not admitted, but those who jnst walked in and iookod at the Chinese melodrama that was staged in a house closo to tho Vaimea camp certainly saw one of the most curious sights this island has to offer. Starting early on Now Year's Day, this opera went on for two days. Rows of almondeyed celestials to the number of 200 sat in a room built for about 40, and smoked incessantly while the play wound its weary way to what was, no doubt, a happy ending. There was no scenery, and the orchestra was a one-stringed violin. The dead villain, when he was tired of being dead, got up and walked off. It is impossible to give an outline of the plot, as I only saw a small portion of the play, but it struck us that the audience was the most interesting part of the show. At eleven o'clock that morning tho sports meeting began. Repreecntatives of every portion of the force were on tho ground. The sth Regiment Band kindly camo and played, as also did tho native band ot the chief Tamasese. Colonel and Mrs. Logan were present. The most popular event was tno pillow-fightmg on a spar raised soino lift, from tne ground. In the course of the afternoon Chief Tamaseso contributed his item to the programme, which consisted of some pictur-esque-native dauces performed oy nlteen girls of his village. In the evening' the prizes were presented by Colonel Fulton during an interval in the concert, held in the new barracks. This concert was not the least successful part of the day's amusements. On Tuesday, January 6, the 3rd Regiment left at 5.30 a.ni. for a route march to Malie, a village about seven miles down the coast, intending to spend the day there and return in the evening. But no sooner had they all got into the sea for a most enjoyable bathe when the alarm was sounded, and the regiment had to march post-haste back to camp. They ' covered the seven miles in an hour and 45 minutes, during the heat of the day. The reason for. tho alarm was that there was. some slight native trouble. Two villagers lost their tempers with each other over some trifling matter.,. It was quickly settled and nothing more came of it, but it spoilt the day at Malie. During the next week the rain began in tropica! style, and we had the greatest blow here since the memorable hurricane, when H.M.S. Calliope steamed out and three American and three German warships ,were sunk in 1889. For all practical purposes it has rained continually since. The whola island is under water, the roads are terrents, the flat lands are standing lakes, and it is moist and unpleasant weather for everyone.

NOTHINQ LEFT TO CHANCE. PREPARATIONS FOR ATTACK. ■ On January 20 rumours were circulated that the Dresden had escaped after the Falkland Island fight, and was heading for Samoa with a transport full of German reser/ists from South America Others asserted' that it was the Von der Tann, and the story grew and multiplied exceedingly;_ but, whatever it was, there was obviously 6omething in it, because we suddenly found ourselves electrified, and instead of the weary monotonous garrison duty, everyono was on the qui vive, polishing up his already speckless rifle, trying the edge of his bayonet with bis thumb, and in every Way getting ready for a fight. It would not be politic, at this stage of the proceedings, to relate all the preparations that were made to repel the expected attack, but suffice it to say nothing was left to chance.