THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1890.

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 64, 11 January 1890, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 1890.

In our issue of December 21, appeared n letter over the signature ■of "Justice," which set forth the disadvantageous position our fellowlownsmon were placed in. who had no Consular representative in those islands. A* this is a matter of considerable importance to that section of our community who an- outside of Consular protection, wo intended to have commented on the suggestions contained in " Justice's " letter at the time it appeared, hut the necessary publication or other matter

prevented us from doing so. We quite agree with Justice that it is that unrepresented foreigners hhould be placed in the exceptional position of having to appear before a Samoan judge. Because, however anxious that judge may be to dispense justice fairly, he can only do so from a native points view; and a small knowledge of native character tolls us that many of the crimes that are looked upon as trivial by

them are looked upon in a different fight by white men, and an action a native would consider a crime «f a very serious nature might be looked, npoo by a white judge as hardly worth taking notice of. The Samoan judge has very little written law to guide him, and as <or precedent, he takes little or no notice at all of that* so that hia judgments, in the shape of fines W imprisonment*, arc strongly influenced l.y his personal feelings at | the time, and in many instances not f #» all in accordance with the merit* / ; '#"JPr* *••*•• Thus far we agree with fflhpßtilii'* that an evil does exist, M* we cannot ipiito cincide with ■ in the remedy he proposes. ■Una* there would l«- a consider-' difficulty in getting men to Mefljr leave their businessand I Samoan judge in dispenjjm ovon to their own coun■pljne, bar experience of Ihtrals* is not such as l» recommend such pre*-it was clearly |y course could be ii awe thai our

!■ .££_' j". waaH mm as lo aupi"""Jp"pa[S wWW J" ■Mi bcstt raMwad, and that saattera had to go bat* and star t again from A* time he wm deported.* If this is so. then we see nothing to prevent the three Cental* (who ere the permanent repreeentntiviM of the Municipal Board)maktnga temporary appointment to meet the ease. Am] although they might not lie legally correct they would bo morally justified in devoting a part of the acomnmulated Municipal funds to securing a fair tribunal fur that portion of the taxpayers who have no Consular court* to appeal to We hare, however, a precedent before us in this matter. A sanitary inspector has been appointed, who reports to thoConsuls every w«H>k, an<l for this, we believe, he receives ■■fefOr m "ith. •--' Now wo hnvo aotftuig to aay against this gentloman. Re.no doubt, sends in his weekly report as requester!, and may, by moral persuasion, get tho people to be a littlo rnoro cleanly in their habits, and that is alxmt alt we can expect from him under the circumstances; but we are of opinion that any sanitary inspection, to be of any use, must In; done by the police, under tha advice and instruction of a white man. Would it not, therefore, lie better to give this S3O per month, and as nuieli more as was considered necessary, to some suitable person who, pos seasing legal training and experience, wonld assist the present Municipal judge in dispensing jus- | tiee and controlling the police ' j We feel convinced that if this were done the most of our ci'izens who own property, and consequently want protection, would willingly contribute a little towards the expense of maintaining law and order. Nor do we think thisahould be delayed until the ai rival of those who arc expected from the three great Powers, to organise and unrry on the government. So far as we know, the treaty is not yet ratified, and it tuny be several months after that is done liefnre any action be taken under it. With this uncertainty before us we think that some steps should at once be taken to carry out as far as possible those Municipal lobulations that are necessary to the well-being of the I community. j