LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 63, 4 January 1890, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wo Nwo lMmtd that Ihe bitUh«rv tiMlfirr '.-*" 1 . •»•■-*-« by Mr. M. itagtat*** o tranrfi-rrod to Vr. Fa* ApU Butchery who will ' |Mlv'<Mi His (Mutnosa in con|Hg woo MHkk on Thur*l»v MM pMOfr, Jfoon' brown , NWwaor jooifc. Hint- j jjiTWrtnwo.ooo'** J UHMMf fat lw* ••*• i Eyifftwo Jom

*)•* a**aa fa MtaMii » • central «an. Mi M efasnH mala* « fair (bars The Mail schooner, with the mails flan* Bft* s\asufauii, did not arrive natll ft hi* hour ini Tuesday night. II was therefore too fate to answer tetters by Mte return boat. This is of frequent occurrence, and mnit ha very annoying la oar merchants, who have baataaaa with :ha United States. Whan tha aaw Government is formed, wa bops that soma iadaaamaat may ba offered to tha mail ataamnra to come on to Apia. Tha delay would ha man trifling, probably aot more than an hoar oreo. We believe Mr. flpreokoU hae already •spraaaad hie willingness to make Apia • port of call, instead of Tutuila. and if our Oarentment would enter into communication with the mail eoutrao'ors in tha cdo-.ioa, there would be little difficulty in obtaining thia alight change of route. We understmd that Ocl. 11. de Coetlog >u, H.V. Consul it Apia, haa received advices thnt he hna been appointed British Consul for New Celedonia. Tlio appointment, we believe has not aa yet come to hand, hut will probably arrive by next mail. No mention haa as yet been made as to who shall succeed Col. de Cootlogon. Host likely hi* successor will he named when tha appointment has been officially received. Rumour is afloat that Lieutena.it Leofe, lI.M. Consul at Tonga, will be promoted to tho Consulate of Samoa. We have uo information on tbi- subject. Tli* United state* Congress opened on the 3rd December. Tho President's speech is of a consolincr niituro He expressed hi- belief that the. treaty ttgrced on at Berlin would bo benefieiu' tofanini.Tidsnttsfactorvas to the future indepeudeti c and welfnreof theifdand*. We ther-'fote in v f tirly consider that it in Ihe intention of tin; T'..it«».i States Government to support the t.oa'y in Conjrre-s xvhrn the mn?t»r '<• brought up for <li«ctis<i'>'i. I; is more th.m probablo that, oti account «>f the necessary preliatirary work in connection with the <outwentctnent of the session, general business will not be introduced until after the Christmas holidays. However, the President's message is so far satisfactory. Although nil outride s'.orts were this year nejlec'od, our young men seemed dwtermimjd to make up for the loss in another <vav. On Saturday last a dance was mrnngH under the superintendence of Captain Thompson, of tho schooner OhaHengor. and Mr. Pkoon, ami another on Vcw Year's day. under the management of Messrs. Ben. Tattur-rUI. imd Allen. Both dances were held in the laruo room of Messrs. E. W. Ourr and o<\.. and'were numerously attended. Refreshments were amply pr-vidod on oaeh occasion, and very little tinio was allowed between each waltx, achottische, polka, or qundri'le. Dancing was kept up *ill a late, or rather nn early, hour, and passed off verv pleasantly. Immediately the hell* pealed tha hour of midnight on the .list Decernber. announcing the close of the year 1889, a year which will he ever memorable in the history of Samoa, several persons joined together to commemorate the custom of ushering in the New Year. Onns were fired, fireworks were firing shout, and H1.0.M.5. Alexandrine was splendidly illuminated. A number of people banded together, singing songs, and visiting the various hotels nnd other places, sheering mnny public characters, abo seemed to ha in their good graces, and expressing their contempt for parties who were not. With the exception of a little difference between a half-caste and one or two other persons, the nipht pis«erl off fniny well for such an orca-i-m aa ringing in tha New Tear, which has generally been of a noisy eharaotor. On New Year's Day tho Samoan siva dancers came out in great fnroa. In batches they commenced thoir peculiar singing and - dancing, -an i nearly every house in Apia was visited. A considerable harvest was made by the dancers. In some eases their dancing and singing were enjoyed and ■ipprechved, but in many other cases their noise and gestates were objected to. Still monev and roads were given to tha performers, some people paying for what they eorsidered an amusemeat, while others gnvo them something to go to tha next street. There is ona feature in this business which onghl to be guarded sgainst. Wa noticed that several of the natives war* under tha influence of drink, aad wa have beard that la a few places they warn paid f*r their singing nasi aasWraw vThattW, of War .W fin. Ttrie hj Mgbry aadeaav teftry to law, aad wwtrftat tain aa%b SvJ? P