Correspondence.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 7, 10 November 1888, Page 2

Correspondence.

We are always willing to give insertion, letters of explanation or interest, but we wi»b it to be distinctly understood that we do not endorse the opioiuns expressed, or laiifjuafje used, by our correspondents. Oar ideas of passing events will be found in our local or editorial columns.

TO TnE EDITOtt OF TUB 3A.MOA TIMES

Sin,—ln continuing the plea for the Samonns it spay be stated tint having mixed avjjßppa deal with- th-o natives of Uposs?£tid Savaii, now antagonistic to one another, there wad great dissatisfaction expressed by 11 t classes of the people a' ainst the Government of "the "Papalagi," principally on uccouut of the late taxation. A great number of people, now on Tainasose's side, were its expressive in their words as the others, now against Tnniasese. Their fear of an after retribution, keeps thorn with Tamasesu. Had the Tuarnasaga usi d her cards well,, and the taxation as a trump card Taiuasese would not now have twohundred men to follow him. In fact the greater part of Atua would have followed the chief Mutaafa, had not a report reached Atua that the Tuaui.isaga with her ally Faasuleleaga hud made up their mind to attack and " tat tasia Atua ;" so from this report tiio Atua people stuck together against tho Tuarnasaga. and thus allied themselves with their old party. The first mistake made, though not of great importance in itself, was the removal of Tamasese and his " Malo'* to Mulinuu, for they were well est -v> lished at Leulumoega. They had a good fort and plenty of provisi mis planed. The farther away the Mtlo was from a port like Apia the better for all parties. When the Malo left Leulumoega, and for months after they often expressed their dissatisfaction at leaving their capital to come to Multnuu to starve, to build new hou*» and no where to make a plantation. .. Another mistake was the foroin » of the Malietoa party to sign their na uos and swear allegiance to the Gov rnmont of Tamasose, forcing then to com* undor threat of banishment to auother country. No occasion to have

done anything of the sort. The old Saiuoan style would havo produced u gaud feeliuu among all parties. Tumukbho and hU Mulo should have boen allowed to net on this occasion. They would have appointed chiefs of Anna or of Atua, or perhaps some of both to confer with the chiefs of the Malietoa party. Il would he slow work but euro to produce good. Samoans love fonoing, and love to feed their belly. These parties would havo foiioed and fonocd, each party stating their minds, wishes, desires and aspirations, then a foulolei'ing with u koou w. 11, a making up of past grievances to begin afresh, finishing off with a" soat'"gu, ; ' a great l'eu-t ot good will, whenut the Malietoa party would must likely hnvo expressed their willingness to join the new Mulo. Wliut was done oy order and by threat left a rankling sere in the minds of the people. Another mistake was the banishment of " Asi" aud others, the. imprisonment with hard labor, of the Falifa chiefs withou* mi open trial, so that -.ill parties should know what these clii< fs hud done to deserve buni-hineut. Hundreds of Samoans would havo been interested in the trial of the.-e in' of*. They should not have beeu banished, but punished hen* at their home, and warned not to put themselves in the like position again or they would bu banished. One affair well noticed l>y the Samoans was that th« Falifa chiefs were not banished also, for it was mooted among them that tho reason why they were not .so dealt with was that the Catholic I'ries s influenced tho Mulo. The Falifa chiefs being Catholic woro not liunished. The uatives noticed a difference made between those who were Catholic, and those who were Protectant. The same with F.ifilou being sent to Wallis Island. Ho w»s a Protestant, but turned Catholic to go there. The last and gravest affair to the native .mind of ah parties was tho hunting round about the bush by armed mobs the three chiefs who had taken to the bu*h to savo their lives, for their allegiaucu to Malietoa and the littlo war of the 31st of August on the ranges at tho back of Apia. [g~ I am sure if the administrator of the Tainasese Government had known that two days before he went with tho force the Vaimouga and Fuleata chiefs had met those parties in the bash to confer and advise them to return home would never have gone out with an armed force. He would have left well uloue. It was just the want of open Communication with the Mulo that he was not acquainted with this fact. What brought these chiefs of Safata and Siumu to the ranges was to demand the body of Suatele, a Mulivui chief in Snfutn, who had presumptuously on his own account given tho Sufatu's highest title of chieftainship to Tutuase.se. This Suntolu had no right to give the titlo of T&masualio to anybo ly. There are certain other Batata chiefs who have the honor to give this title to who.uthoy may think proper, but not this .Suatele. The Safata people wore so greatly enraged with Suutele for giving this title to TiimasesH that they determined to come across thu island to Mutiuuu and demand the body of Suutele, and to take the title away from Tainasese. These Vaimoug.-. and Falouta chiefs left the ranges on the Thursday morning, Safata n>id Siiiuni people having agreed also to returu home Sofata people left on the Thursday evening, aud Siumu intended to return on the Friday morning. It was well for the Government forces that Safata was away from tho camp, for the Government foices would have suffered heavily in killed and wounded. But this Thursday night tho Mulo had collected a force from Anna and Atun, and started in the small hours of Fri day morning, passing through Apia to the Sopo road, to hunt up tho rebels, as they were called, under the command of the administrator and another German, and Suatele, getting up to the camp of the Siumu people before they uuie fully awake, they ouly numbering about thirty men, and more than half without a lire-arm as they did not come to light. It is reported by the natives that

after mar. hing some distance inland the leader wanted to return, but Suatele would not agree to il, and all suy if it was not for Suatele urging on tho Mulo forces to tiro, there would have been no lighting. This was a blow on the whole of tho peared to them that tlioy were the objects of hatred to the Tiiiuase.se Malo, to be imposed on, to be cut off, and made " pologa " (slaves), therefore they assembled in arms to defend their lives.

Evi nif tho administrator had not known of the returning of the above people to their homes ho should also in this caso have allowed tho .'amonn custom to prevail, and it is a custom that lias never failed. Tauiusese should at once have called a meetiug of iho whole of the Tuain.'i-nga, i\r*t meeting the Vaimouga and Fuleata chiefs and SatitisaTOiiir of Afega, stating to them his opinion and wishes So that they would at the great meeting take his part, and reason with those dissatisfied. No doubt the dissatisfied parties would have become satisfied and let the titlo remain withTaHiase.se. It is apparent to every one who understands the Samoan mind, that had the administrator studied more the uativo customs aud talked more with the Tuiiuua and Fuipule upon all of the above subjects, there would have been no'mistakos, such ns have happen' <l, and more lenient to the Samoans in taxation, and in all of the above to bo done in the Saiiioau style instead of 'lie European manner, no dissatisfaction or war would have happened The Samoans are not blind ; they are quick in perception, and once take an idea into their mind, it. will take time to eradicate it. It brood* and grow* into a mountain. So the Samoans see a new order of facts, watched over by force and not by good will. It ihoped that thoG> rinuu tdemont do see the necessity of a more lenient policy in administering the Government, aud should they ait in a right and judicious way they could sail guiu u strong bold over the new Malo. ■>, The -Germans mnw in wltmisiiig take a leaf out of the history of the English and Dutch colonies, never t'> oppress »he natives, fur they know not the use or advantage of a Government, be lenient to them, gradually to draw them from their old customs. It is to the young lads now growing up that they must look to, to conform to the habits of a civilised life, end not to the ol I people of the p-esent age, for their old ideas and customs cannot be broken or driven out of them. Train up the young lads to got used to tho forms and restrictions of a Government. Do not rule with a high or iron hand. No. far from it. Be kind, just and firm.—l am, &c. Old Gap.