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Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 63, 4 January 1890, Page 1 (Supplement)

»1 Ik ' nt | to ft* «MP *M» *•»# om» mo •41 k* waa glad to teethe luettiag <*> wwl aitoaJaJ, aad hoped that soroo rmA would aria* horn it. He iu-, tMianad Mr. Oratpiilo, who stated thnt on ■••Mat of tb« ioaiwrtanre of the eub- . Job! to bo discussed, bo had deemed it • BtoMMrr to deliver • wri»»« u iddre*H, j m ho deeircd every word spoken by Man to bo publish >A verbatim, in order j that there should bo uo mistake in the i futoro a* regard* bit utterance*, tb<-ra ! being no abort baid reporter for Ibo j Samoa Tiara pre*eat. Ho thou do*' livered bit address, a* follows :-llr Chairman and gentlemen, in accord*] ■no* with the notice ptitdibhed in tbo SAMOA* Times of Uih Slot, instant, w j hare ni«t together to consider the udminiattatiou of British law gene-ally at the present tiwo in Samoa. I am, Myou have noiloubt noticed, the ton* ***ner of this Banting, and in my own person have taken ilia n ispoo .ihili'y of calling voit togotbor. In doing »>, however. I foci that I am iu a s iut»what di'lii-iito position, bain;; ut tho present moment ut i»*uo with thu Deputy Commissioner. That eauuot, however, in any wuy d< stiuy the cvidoaoe thnt I propose biingiug before you to-night, and lot mo aasuro yon that I ahull bo most careful to uv-id any expressions of a personal nature in speaking of Colonel If. d« t'ovtlogon which may burn the a|*pearauc« of animus. It will he requisite, iiu .- over, that I should speak plainly and to the point, a* ih« question wo have to decide to nlelit is one affecting us both individ'ially ami colli tlivcly. aa British sijlij'U. in Saino.i. Tht mceieity of our din usaiiiK ib«.» ma:N-i "I this meeting has aiisvit from the tu-.t j that in my opinion, which I haw mason to believe U 'i j*c oral "ue, < '•'• TT. do Cootl'VJO'i, who te| rcSClit* the British community in .Samoa a* II M. Consul and Donutv <'< n mis jonvi f r the Western Pa<-inc. ii a i■■■:-! . ! illv j Unfit to carry out 11>• du(i«« and >* i- j Rations incumbent up u him as holdintr thosO two important »fli ■•*■*. h> without the ii«i«-.;hv •>;■ iini>-.-. without tho ahiliy lo m«i'i ; r« <v» the ordinary routine of I'lUci.il duties, and, I ft° further nml nn-, n.lvi edly. without thft d»-»iiet.imlihii.i«tir to lite reiuirements of the enmmunily "iii whirh he born plated, and i"i which ho ia ao bandaoniily rauiuuerated hy II»r M*>j».'?ly T B liovemmoiit. It now ilovolvcs upon us. u • holdiuy: tho piivilege of a t:e" cspi'--i'in <>f opinion in regard to tlie condition of puMic ofliii.ilH, to lairly irtiui-' <<n puMi« proundn only the adniinistniiion of Britieh law iu Samoa l-y 1 'nlonel If. de Coot'opiu, and jfive pwh prjitiral exprosbion to our n>l'>'!ivo views as we may mtieider desirahln or ejevdieut. We are here to a wrong with tho <>l>je' t of righting it. but only in a h-gitimato in inner. It in not my intention to air my otrn rfraonal griovanccs bef'ire this m«-ett»>p. but I pio|H>se to cootlue myself to such caaes of injustice as h»v<- been brunch! to my noli«H» duriui; the lui*. two ov three e«ontlts. 'and beyond fit >t. *<> apeak in general terms only. You am all awaro that f»r nearly one year, ♦hat ia from September of Ihks to June. 1880, a very busy and ex<itinir period, by cho wav. I was engaged at tho British ronsulatoaa Acting J*riti4i Consul, and Colonel 11. do Coetlogou'a ptirate seereinry, also as officer of H.B.M.'s llijtb Commlosiouer's f'ouit. Under these circumstance*, therefore, you must admit thnt I had ample opportunity to form an opinion of Colonel It. de Coetlogon's perf« rnuuico of his <iflici.il duties, and b:iving myself had very large commercial etporieoce, and some knowlediro of tbo procedure of Courts of law it is only reasonable to say that tho conclusion* I have arrived at should bo of some value. Aa a result of najag such opportunities thereforo I row ao»t distinctly ateto my honest eonvictino that tbo administration of British law and equity in Bamo* by Colonel 11. de Cnatlogon ia a fnreo of the broadest character. I will ventme to affirm that, even at the present tim", Colonel H. doCottlnffon. by hieowa unassieted affmrta, aoold not odjudteat* upon the aiaapleet nolkw para, and do the oHiBMrvckrrteal work pr**rribed by the ragadatkint of the oaVe. This ie a inM|liiax nseertloa. bat, if true, what !k mMMiieb CeaasaJ and Dspaty WhH*aaW#fftoß*^wlllwaCkulM DtoSart a>—tpllon of sW'Cltss.mamnltof adatlrably to •aMaMMar Mi aaaffi Qgaa»>eioa* 9 IllMtßsl^Vi^taal eaaaasaaaaaaaaaaajaaaanaaasax sranww' ■WhV ajaal fftoH j^^L^r^^^^^aa.