Natives Reclaiming Land Sold.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 29, 4 May 1889, Page 2

Natives Reclaiming Land Sold.

By Bkacucoubbk. The (inrties now engaged in ibo land dispute, Cornwall v. MeArthur, ami tin* public generally must forgive Beachcomber fur broaching this subject now, before tlio dispute is settled, or referred elsewhere It is with groat regret that I rind tbo agents hero of Messrs. McArthur and Oo.'a have drought iij) natives from tlio lee cud of Suvaii io reclaim lauds in that district that have boi u h< id before 1877 to Mr. Cornwall. lam sure other parties in Apia and in other parts of Stunou will ult»o tcgrot tlio same. What over caused the agent of Missis. McArthur ami Co. to do this I cannot tnuke out for it will nut iu thu toast iota help thoir defence against the agents of Mr. Cornwall, 1 am of opinion that it wilt bo tho reverse, for the natives dispute the titles of the lands in that 'far oil' part of Savah against Cornwall, in what shape or form will Messrs. McArthur and Co. hold it or lay claim to it—if it is damaging—it is daicngrag to the other.

Ag.iin in the second place the official recognisance of these natives thus brought into Court, to statu that the land was sold by parties who did not own it legally, is a great hit for natives iu ull parts of tho group, to reclaim land sold twenty-five or thirty years ago, as well us thote of Lit. r date. When these natives return to their homes, they will spread it abroad that their reclaim to lauds sold to Mr. Cornwall year* ago was recognised by Her Majesty's Consul in Court between two European parties contending for tho possession of the said lands. It would have been a great deu'l butter for this part of the defence to be left out until # the long talked of Lauds Court will bo established.

The writer will now leave the above • .subject to be again - referred to and will etato what he has heard spoken by native* and what they intend to do iu reference to land ton to Europeans. All round tlie group it is the same. My eyes have seen the men assembled in threes and fours, in teus and twenfie* j I have beard the' words spoken and joined iu the conversation, how to regain land already sold to Europeans. Many, very many, little schemes were proposed, oorituted upon, aud eventually settled in their minds to their hearts' content. The schemes thus concocted were clear and plain to them. Some said " I will get ay brother to com* forward to reclaim the Uod, and I will state that X sold it, believing X was the owner, but afterwards I found I was not. upon investigating the title to the land."' Yet mcst el these that

'•poke thus~th«> |wirty who r.'.illy ».«l.i ~ the land Was rii-0.-nivd l»v all a« llm logal party to »«!! i!>" !in J. ! h-ui-.l them tli u>» rauognise the ei'liur m tiio tOVUilll tu Si 11. 80 i: writs ill" " "no ho following case*. J&m£sni-t " I go to my relation* \}n ttfb mn|i> i, nml get ill -in 10 c'.iirii (?i ■ !■ n i 1 sold, mil I will state th.it I am oil tttO fi'in.'ili: sill" at tlm f'li.U !• *.:•?!• Villi' nut 8-11 luuil except it U toJUd to thorn" (old Samoa u settlor* will huow "what this incuts). Otlusro .again '• I wan a younger member of the family, mid hnd no l>-g<il to mll tho iaml whilo tho in a fni or head of the family won alivo." These am only a few that I have written. Now for tho cn-iso of this wish anil doMto, and this coming forth of tho natives to reclaim 1 utd sold. Iu former times, before 1877, t!i<i natives undoiHto<>il plainly that from the lime tho money or nrpperto wu-t plated in their hands, (he j>uk or ownerrhip .of tho laud now selling and sold (the time tho propi-ity was paid to tho natives) was gono for ever from tho native, the seller nnd his family, to ihu white man or iproigner, tliepruporty wastho exchange for the Inn i. tho ivhito men

ho saw, ho knew, had no moro put* iivor tho property for ho. tho native, wont, oft will it, so ho truly rt-eoguisetl the white man's owner.-hioof tho hind foiwer. In tho month of Jaiiiiiiry 1377 Consul Liiviilot arrived f.-.au Fiji hold :i ntoetiug with tho " Tuiinna " and

•' Faipule " thou the governing party iu i&i'.aoa. Ilj tiurro Muttd an 1 luuiiy other, titans during that Dto.-itlt (for !iu liveil tUn'o wj-ek-s at tho point, .".[uliliuu, wit'i tin; ::>)'.-.-i-ritiieii poupK') til it nny 1 iuil< hold by iiiiglishiiieii, itpun which there ivms :i ilutlbl 63 in th- ],!■••;! r oiviiiu.-h'p wuitiil ho rcturtied t« tho J>nuttj;ui« nt tho il.iy of i--v---.ii-gntion. 'J'iiis iiximiiot I oissitl Lini-dof brought frmn Fiji sot vlia iKitivei nil r*<jiiiciitfj, for mill they if wo ;-t thH liiinis hack, wo will just turn round and re-?*)!! them ngrrin t<> the vvliiin mon. Mumcii, thou thu pvinupul *crii»t> of th» Guvei'iiutonf, mi :• out letters notifying the üb-jve fuels t.> :il! parts (>f the grcup (I hnv) (i copy of tiie lHtter). Tins w;>.s thu tiirnii ' r : puint nf tlin Soiiioans ::■ : lii'iu' land after 1H77. It rould !»• .- --\ i by i.t»« ui'-iuher <>f tlio family o '■• r •!uiiu-d by another in after \cur*. ii.u- it wus uu Kngiish Cotisti! iii . m t .in■ !• ,1! rolling among !ho native* to ii«-lnitu tho laiul-. sol I. Iu Siumbri-p v.- .h..tl n-ipii tin told the liiitivi-a ihut. ',: -...!, hin i:itoiitio!i to have nil the lands then (told to whito Mien, recoupeil t i the government, for ii \va. h!;-, i iteiitiuo to borrow in H.e rfutKil Citato- s."i.(iOii,o-.i(i on tho SAfiurity of the «holt< of ihihliuls Of the (froup, .'Meini.ri-.- fni.iy roiLined n fe.w d»yn after this prnpiedtiun ,-iiid tho niiiire-! forgot til ahntit i'. Ii «■;:< C"ti"u! fiiardot that set tit* ball goiiignnd Ac>ing Consul Swituston and Consul (Jmves repculeil tlio »ati.«. A ciih<> in in int io show how lie' alinv-' M'ot'k« I'U s!i" native side. In a tii.d of ii bin I c:»«n ! eforo Mr. Martin as the niii!iicij»il j-;i!.i;i'. Tho Tongitese v. A '.<>. Thin -.Tua it r.iß'- where* in corlnin ii..i re.-of Tuointta attdoth r-i

of the ! al-.i'.i iistr'u-t mud tho Tonfz\* ■■. e, t'. • in jinisl'ii of (tt'i'tnin Inn sold ' \ t >T<»iftiiitittn. Tliiw raw w.i- sii-.i in M li tmi's timo hafnre Miiui' a Si'iii, and William Co-, mi" part nf tho time Connul Puwe'l attend <1 tin- Court ti-J.il on behalf vl tho Toin-ftiiiL'ii It was proposed by Mr. P..v»-.-M and sottlfd l,y thi» Court tlmt i!u) Toucan luiiili tbm disputed etioiiirl Wo 'livid.'.i, one halt' for tho lougans uiirl the West.tii half for tho P'Hi'im p'nimnnts' This «-.>* dona Wh' n Briinrteis I)' thinn Kinguf Samoa tho Tmipenien applied to him for n Dew trial nf thi-i hint] <«'«•'. It was jjrnnN d. nnd Mr. Mm tin, was tho JtldgO ami Aihi'.iit- r. What I want to make plain is t'lat hefoto Mr, .Martin, in a full eouit, Faloata native* " and others, swore that tboy ft<>l-l llw land, (ci'iaiii portions) to tho Tonga* mt'ii, some before and othersuft« r ; iho Taamaaagn find to Atuu in 1 «OS-i> knowing that tli-y. tho sollor*, were not the owner* of I lie hind. Tho Tongamen «toted to thorn '• Did you not toll tit nt the timo thnt you were the real ownera and if tnj one troubled u* about it to gome *<> >'"'• ? And what did yon s.iy to Mr. Wobor when ho had you all up fo-fore him to figi| the deed*? I'id .you not toll Mr.

Weber, when ho axled you, that you I wore tho real owner* of the land* you ! all sold. Although Ale, tbc Chief, had a *ort of jntereat of pretention over it, you etch, individual!,, hud your own •operate piece, which you worn now i shout to sign iiwnv " Robert Stanley, interpreter to Mr. Weber •» thoeo days witnn*«ed ell the above. These puttie* for tboa tellinir a deliberate untruth ' either to Mr. Welter or Mr. Martin. ehnuld have been punished by a b< aw fine or the eat-n'-nine>taii« on their baek*. Chief Ale wae .trying to k> t the land baek by reclaiming it. Tlio-o •eller* before Mr. Martin etated it wae JJo't lands *c..&.. After Ibis trial in tho High Com-

!>ii-«■•h.it\ Court I will pr.ivc to all o.iii..- ttlM ill Liu i soM i.i i'll.iiiu i; r.,ti:a . ;1 ,i high bel r UN J:a P latin- ii.i hioa , I van : ■ I' • u:.:. fctuuot, i.jf Samoa I»WS a;. 1 < I «31, I— taken i'roni him, and it • man weald nt:oni|it 11 reclaim wrlusl i o be. I told *>rp;ut.-.wrh.