TALK ABOUT TOWN.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 53, 5 October 1878, Page 2

TALK ABOUT TOWN.

“ There auian <r vo takiu’ notes, And faith he'll prentliieu,.” Any man who contributes nnything which will create a little innocent anui.seinont and excitement in this terribly dull hole is n benefactor to the foreign residents who are suffering from ennui, and a strong overdose, of Samoa dullness. If “A. S. S.” has failed to show good his claim to a niche in the Temple of the Muses l>y the short, but sweet, three verses which appeared in last week’s issue of the Samoa Times ho has, at any rate, stirred up the woman folk into a perfect phrenzy of excitement, a torrent of envy, a cataract of jealousy and a vortex of despair! How’s that for high ? The groat question with them is—“ Who is ‘the most beautiful maid in Upolu’ ?—and the solution of it Is of infinitely more importance to thorn than half-a-dozen Eastern Questions rolled into one. It is rumoured that when one young lady meets another of her acquaintance something like the following dialogue takes place; “Did you see that lovely piece of poetry iu last Saturday’s paper '< don’t you think it’s meant lor me Y” “For you dear? no, it's meant for me, love.” “That can't be dearest; you’re not so good-looking as I am.” “1 havn’t got a snub nose, there!” “I’ll never speak to you again, you nasty tiling.” “Nor Ito yon."—and then they burnt out crying, and walk oil'. 11, tle u “A. S. S.” be the “honourable” man and croquet player the verses themselves suggest and rumour assigns, ho ought at once to proclaim the name of the young lady he alludes to. and so restore the peace and harmony which existed pre\ ions to the appearance of those verses. Lord Dundreary says that there are “thmne things which no fellah can nnderthtand! ” and proceeds to enumerate them : and from the looks of it lately, official Amorico-Samoan matters will soon have to ho added to Dundreary’s category. I hear that, the other day, the United States Consul tried a ease of assault and battery between two natives, and lined the defendant forty dollars, it is further stated that the native who was assaulted was a servant of an American citizen, and therefore under the protection of the American Consul. Ido not profess tube able to fathom the depths of United States Consular wisdom on this island ; I have long since given up the attempt. Hut ns I think that there is “something ‘ tickler abont this that wants ‘splniniu’,” I. in common with many others, shall he very glad to hoar the opinions of those gentlemen—"lsix" and "Justice”— who, some little time ago. treated the readers of the Times to a discussion uncut the remarks of ll.lt. Majesty's Consul at a meeting of the Taiutua and Faipulo in July lust.

My opinion is that it is not within tho province of any one of the throe foreign Consuls to hoar eases of assault between natives, no matter how deserving of sympathy the plaintiffs may he. Perhaps the writers allude*! to will kindly throw some light on this subject; for it would be just ; as well to know if this case is to establish a rule for the future that all eases ol assault between natfVcs will he triad by the U. S. Consul, when any American citizen is obliging enough to lodge a conij plaint on behalf of one of the parties. If so, this is “Protection” with a vengeance.

It is not to be supposed that, because wo have not heard much abvmt the Kava Club lately, or that the long promised grand moonlight procession of members in full and gorgeous regalia has not yet paraded, that the Club is dead, or even indisposed. The Club meets every Saturday night at Host Lawrensou’s; and on Saturday night lost several new members were fully initiated, and after taking the the oath, took their scats and their kava. The song of the evening was that given by Mr. Johnstone, —one of the now members all the way from Sydney. It was a very touching allusion to some “girl what I calls mine,” and whom ho would not lose for all the money in the bank. This may bo very well on board the Reconnaissance, but it is scarcely up to the Kava Club standard. The moonlight procession has been postponed until , tbo return of the “ Government,” at fcao latter end of the year, when they will be invited by the club to take part in the evening’s festivities. This groat honour ‘ is to be paid to the “Government,” on , account of tin* great amount of good 3 work they have accomplished during the • past twelve months. Is that so ! p 1