THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1878.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 30, 27 April 1878, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1878.

Fearful Dynamite Accident.—One ■of the most fearful accidents that has ever happened in Samoa from the use of 'dynamite for fishing purposes, happened on Saturday morning last to a half-caste native of Tok<jlau. The unfortunate man had lighted the end of the fuse and whilst waiting to see if it were properly lit the charge exploded. The force of the explosion was so great that the nian was thrown some six or eight feet baokwards out of the canoe. When he was picked up both his hands were found to be frightfully mutilated, scarcely a spot of his face but what was burnt and bleeding, his eyelashes completely burnt off, his eyes very much injured, and his breast severely burnt. He was at once taken to Dr. U. A. Turner, who found the injuries to the right hand so great that the arm had to bo amputated about halfway between the wrist and the elbow; and oil that could be saved of tho left hand was the little finger. This double operation was successfully performed whilst the patient was under the influence of methylene. It was thought doubtful at first whether the unfortunate sufferer would ever recover the sight of either eye, but we are happy to bo able to report that the sight of one eyu is quite restored, and tho other is rapidly recovering. We are also'happy to say that tho sufferer is doing remarkably well, very much better than could be expeoted taking all things into consideration. Notwithstanding the many accidents that hare happened from tho samo cause, thoy do not appear to have any deterrent clfeot upon natives and others in the habit of destroy ing fish in this fashion. Scarcely a day passes but what dynamito reports may ho heard in our harbor, and we believe since the acoidont ou Saturday lost such reports have bcon more frequent than hitherto. Wc 'Certainly consider that some steps should be taken to prevent the indisoriminato mlh and uso of this very dangerous combustible ere samo gravt diiaitar

results theivfrom. L'p to the present time no lives have been lost in Samoa through this mode of fishing, but who U to say how long it will be before we hear of death from this cause ? Prevention is better than cure, and we would therefore humbly suggest that the various Consuls should join issue and put some restrictions upon the sale or supplying of dynamite to natives. This is necessary, looking at it from the point of humanity. We are sure that if some restriction can be put upon all the foreign residents in this matter, no one will be found to demur, but it will not do for one Consul to take the matter in hand without all three are unanimous upon the point. The necessity for some immediate steps to bo token in this matter is the more urgent from the fact that the only surgeon we have here amongst us—the Rov. Dr. Geo. A. Turner—is shortly about to leave the group on a mission cruise for some two or three months. We have no guarantee that a similar accident or accidents to that of last Saturday will not take place during his absence. In that event who will be able to render the necessary surgical assistance, or in case of death through not being able to obtain such assistance, who will be answerable for his death ? Wo leave these questions to be answered by every conscientious and right-thinking member of our community, and in the meantime urge upon the Consuls—the only powers we can fly to in our trouble—to take some immediate action in the matter.

New Hotel.—The new hotel recently erected by Mr. J. Acosta is to be opened by hiin this evening under the name of the Hotel zur Studt Hambnrg. This Hotel is well finished, well furnished, and centrally situated. The proprietor appears to have spared no expense in older to make those comfortable who intend to patronise him. A wonderful amount of enterprise lias been displayed in the building and fitting out of this establishment, and wo have no doubt but that the admiring public will accord to the proprietor a fair share of their patronage.

Horse Fight.—To the many nuisances that the residents of Apia are compelled to grin and bear, in the absence of an efficient Government, has been added horse righting. On Thursday afternoon last a number of young Samoaus got together four horses and started them fighting close to the public road, in fact at times on the road itself, making it altogether dangerous for persons to walk in that direction. We are not so much astonished that the Samoans should like to see sport in this, but we certainly think that foreigners should not so far encourago them as to become spectators, when that questionable sport tends to endanger life and limb. The want of a government that 13 both able and willing to legislate upon the many nuisances from which we are at present suffering, is daily becoming more and more evident, and the sooner this end is consummated the better it will be for the residents of Apia, Death of J. B. M. Stewart.—The " San Francisco News Letter," of Dec. 29, in noticing the death of Mr. J. B. M. Stewart has the following paragraph : •' Recent exchanges from I iji announce the death there of J. B. M. Stewart, of the defunct firm of Collie, Stewart, and Co., of this city. The •' Fiji Times " says that his death was hastened because of arrests and prosocutions by the Government and his creditors. Stewart was a man of some natural ability and of marvelous blandishments. Rightly availed of, these ought to have made him a man of mark. A full obituary of such a man could not fail to be interesting, and we have scanned in vain the columns of the " Alta" to find it, believing that such a notice was called for at its nands. When J. B. M. Stewart died, a remarkable man departed from a world in which he had been tho subject of many and ourioua adventures. The moving" spirit of all tho Samoan intrigues, we hope with his departure we have heard the last of a. filibustering scheme that has struggled so hard for countenance and support from the United States Government."