Samoa.

Manawatu Herald, 9 May 1899, Page 2

Samoa.

MATAAFA ORDERED BACK BE-

HIND A LINE

On the 22ad April Gaunt's Brigade had a skirmish with tho rebel?, in which one Mataafa man was killed.

A sharp fight took place on the 2Bi'd. the rebels being strongly entrenched in splendid forts. A fow Mataafa men were killed, and of the friendlies one was killed and three were wounded. The New Zealand Government steamer Tufcanekai has arrived with dispatches. Mataafa has been ordered outside an area ten miles by six. At first he refused to go, but he agreed on a tiual ultimatum being sent. Lieutenant Gaunt's brigade of

drilled Samoans is now patrolling the district from which Mataafa ia excluded.

Mataafa in retiring looted tho house of Herr Hufnagasl, the manager of the German plantation at Vrtilele, and searched it tor arm=t and cartridgej. [Elufnagael, it will j be remembGred, is the person who WO3 charged with having given misleading information just prior to the ambush at Vailele, in which lieutenants Freeman, and La*3sdale and Ensign Moraghan lost their lives.] Hostilities have now been suspended. The Tufcanekai arrived from Samoa this morning and brings uews to the 27th of April. Active hostilities are temporarily suspended, beyond the guarding of Apia town. Mataafa ha3 not surrendered, but now agrees to confine his force outside certain limits till the High Commission arrives. A sharp fight took place last Sunday week outside Apia. About 1000 men were engaged on each side.

The Malietoa party, under British officers, attacked the rebel position, but withdrew at dark. One friendly oa ive was killed, and several were wounded. Mataafa's loss in un« known.

Since last news was sent, H.M.S. Royalist shelled a village on the coast. The nuMvp loss is unknown.