THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1878.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 26, 30 March 1878, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 1878.

„ Thk more we think over Samoan politics the more convinced arts wo that . the natives will never be able to govern" themselves without the aid and assistance of some stronger power. During tho past four years we have had no less than live different forms of governuiont, none of which appear to have givon satisfaction to tho various native factions. Tho first of these was formed about the month of August or September, 1873, and consisted nf seven Taimua and about two hundred J''ai[mli\ This was carried on for about fifteen months. The natives were then iired of tho republican form of government, and were desirous of making a kingdom of their country. Consequently tho qu*tti<m of who should'bo king arose, and two parties were put forward as Inviog'ttHl proper amount of royal blood to ffimblo them to wear the crown. AilorMOM discushiuu upon the mutter, in ooOMqUtttCC of th" equality of power!

held bv the two contending part it"-. i», kings "were elected to hold sovereign] sway over time islands, together with fifteen Taimua to form as it wore the House of Lords, and the same number of, Fuipule as in the previous form to constitute the House of Commons. The; two parties elected as kings were Mnlietoa!

Laupepa, and Pulepule. This second form of government had but a very short existence, for in April of the same year the third government was formed with only one king— Malietoa lAupepa— Steinberger as Premier, fifteen Taiinua, and one Faipule for every 2000 of the population. After an apparent rlourish|mg existence of some ten months this

government terminated its course by a difference which arose between Steinberger nnd the king resulting in the deportation of the former by Captain Stevens of the llarracoutn, and the deposition of the king by the Taimua and Faipule. The government was then curried on for several months by the Taimua (some twelve or thirteen in number, one having been killed in the fight with the Burracouta and another having died) and Faipulo (also about

thirteen, one Having ueeu uiiw ui wis abovementioned fight). At the beginning of last year this merged into-the present form of government, the number of the Taimua being increased to fifteen, and the Faipule increased indefinitely. This last form of government we fully believe to be on its last legs. What has kept ii up so long iB a mystery to us,! for they have done nothing for the benefit of the country since they have been in existence. No laws have been

made, and no taxes have been collected, but delinquents have been fined and the most of these fines has gone to pay other fines. The fact of these tines being levied for offences committed by the natives, and the government paying the same without taking any steps to prevent the recurrence of the acts, simply shows their weakness and inability to manage their own people and earrv on a government without the assistance of some

stronger power. This has been made the more evident by the recent trial held at Mulinuu upon some of the parties concerned in the recent assault upon Mr. C. Bell. When they were found guilty of the offence they were asked if tliev could pay a certain fine and they answered no, then the amount was reduced and still they refuse to pay, and it remains yet to be seen whether the

government have the power to enforce the decision of their judges. They are certainly a most novel' form of government, they make no laws, and have no power apparently to enforce them if they had. And now in addition to all the other oppositions we find them pleading poverty. When the Bari'acouta due was enforced the other day they had M "rime in Wt,hr\ l fwfe' 0 l lu ;"J^^ hey got considerable assistance thereh'T- wlt thenathes bave sought the assistance of foreio-no™,

• to pay their hues, and under the vea peculiar circumstances Eat Z"? ° f V Ut ti ' iC r*^fiZ, 2 Kli i U ' t T*ste* ■* all they m c , iWMtan that those and cotvfT ' Vl,lg °- the hne was a ver J unwise step on of British subjects _£rom the .Wfct that they have been looking forward to {he visit of a ship of war to teach the natives a lesson, and when that ship arrives and is about to inflict the punish-

ment so long asked for, the very people who have been calling for this to be done are the first to bare their hacks and bear a part of the chastisement. It cannot be expected that the Commodore of the station will be willing to send ships down here for the purpose of inquiring into charges made against the natives and punishing them, if that object is to be thwarted and the natives as it were encouraged in their depredations by those, who ask for the ship of war, paying a part of the fine themselves. It

is a very bad policy on the part of the whole of the foreign residents to contribute in this manner, for it creates a false security, and instead of assisting the government to do better in the .futiira it only makes them worse for they will assuredly rely upon the foreigners to help them out of their scrapes in the future, and so are content to lay back till they aro actually forced to pay, then run about in a state pleading poverty. If they would only go

to work properly and make tho least effort to carry on the government of the country properly, and had suffered u misfortune we would advocate every help being given to them under the circumstance, but as matters stand at present

we look upon the aid given to them to pay the Barracouta fine as so much help to uphold n had government. We do Dot believe that such was the intention of those who subscribed towards the payment of the above fine, but that such is the" effect of their generosity is a fact. Tho object many had in view in subscribing

was to try and secure the outside planter from molestation by the natives. This in itself shows a very praiseworthy feeling, but will it have tho desired offect I We will venture to say no. We cannot see that tho natives of Samoa havo any moi-o gratitude or honor in their composition than tho majority of semi-savage races, therefore we look upon any effort to try and soften the natives by kindness to Ixi labor in vain. They'

construe kindness and leniency into fear, and need at all times to bo dealt with by a firm and strong hand. Fines are st}ll accumulating upon them from all directions and we cannot KC anv help for it

if the present ioveirimcnt do not unmcnd their wajk but that the tifth Government of Sonoa will soon bo a thing of the past.

Ilumlsation.—ffhe premises of J. C Godelfroy, and Sohi, wore most beautifully Illuminated oil Friday night last in honor of the eighulfirst anniversary of the birth of the Ebperor of Germany. A nunibor of our tasidenta turned out upon the occasioi to witness the illuminatiou.