THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1878.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 55, 19 October 1878, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1878.

In' our last week’s issue a correspondent, signing himself “ Suimi Guique, ’ called us to account for not commenting upon certain acts that common report assigned to the Acting British Consul. That common report, as the old saying has it, is a liar, is verified by our correspondent, for ho says that “ During the week before last it was rumoured in Apia that the Samoan Government had requested the Foreign Consuls to consult with them about some measures to stop tho sale and supply of intoxicating liquors by foreigners to natives,” and upon enquiry he found the report to bo true. On tho other hand, the way the story was told to us was that a certain proportion of the Consuls had requested the Samoan Government to meet them, &c., and from enquiries we have made we believe our version to bo true. Thus we have two very ditferout sides to the question. We give every praise and credit to tho German and American Consuls for thus showing their desire to do something for preservation of peace in our midst. But, whilst appreciating their efforts, we fail to see why we should ho called upon to censure the British Consul for not taking part in what his judgment, and (ho experience of his predecessors, toll him would eventually end in failure. r PK fli I 1 « rAM«> a! Aa! T- t it if *

That it is very desirable that something should bo done to prevent tiie supply of intoxicating litjxxoi-s to natives is patent to everyone, but there is a right way and n wrong way of doing everything. The right way, in this instance, would have born for the “Samoan Government," —if such a body can really bo said to exist anywhere else but on paper—to have onnotod a law, making it a punishable offence for a native to bo found in a state of intoxication, or even having the liquor in his possession, and then have requested the various Consuls to prohibit their respective countrymen from supplying the natives Had this been done, and the British Consul refused to co-operate with bis brother Consuls, we should then have felt it our duty to comment severely upon his conduct, hut, a? we understand ♦ho matter at present, we cannot but agree (hat he acted strictly in accordance with hie instructions. Tiie British Consul sr not appointed to make laws, but to see that they arc respected when they;

are made, and anything beyond this, wo fool certain, would not ho approved of Lv his Government. Onr correspondent tolls us that the Taiuina and Faipule, without the support ■ and assistance of the Foreign Consuls, will not as yet be able, if willing, to eu- 1 force a liquor law upon those many i foreigners in Apia whose country is not represented here by a Consul. \Vc must ' iv that we fail to see what extra jurisdiction the consent of the three Consuls could give the Taimna nisi Faipulo over a Frenchman for instance. If the Taiinua and Faipule have not the power to make n law against an unrepresented foreigner, the Consuls certainly have not, so that wo cannot conceive what ditferi nee the sanction or otherwise of the British Consul could make in thin particular instance. Had the proposed meeting taken place and the British Consul given his consent to the proposed liquor regulation, the whole thing would have involved the Consuls in a complete turmoil. Some British subject would, we doul it not, he found to sell the liquor in spite of the regulation and, we -will ventu re to assert, that tilts British Consul wc.uM tind, when he came to deal with the ease, that it would be entirely out of his jurisdiction, from the >fact that it was not a violation of any of the laws of Great Britain. So far as British subjects are concerned, they can only bo punished for the violation of one of those laws, until such time as the Samoan Government is thoroughly recognised hv Great Britain, then a British subject would be , amenable to th>: laws of Samoa, but not to any regulation that any one, or ali the Consuls combined, chose to make. We further belie.o that the same argument ■ will hold good with respect to foreigners of other im'.ionr.lities. Independent of ■ this, if they did not wish to lay them- ' selves open to n little bother and annoy- ' anco in hung brought before the Consul, and proving (be want of jurisdiction of ■ the Court, what would there bo to prevent them from getting their Rarotongan or othiu- native agents from supplying the ho nor? Nothing whatever. , Again, providing that the foreigners i did mot make any objections, tko whole alfai r, as has been proved by the manner in v hioh the previous liquor combinations can 10 to grief, would be at the caprice of any one of the Consuls, because there , would be nothing to bind them.

If tlic British Consul had given his consent, wo cannot see hut that the whole atiair would have eventually [moved to be a farce, and would result in bringing the various Consuls into ridicule, ami ■would he looked upon with contempt by the Samoans. If it is necessary that a coalition Government of Consuls and Samoans should take place, then it must be done properly. The work must bo commenced from the beginning; a Constitution must be agreed to by the Samoans and the Governments of the various Consuls. This having been done, then they can make laws and enforce them, hut until then, any action taken in the way of law-making would only result in trouble and vexation to all parties concerned. Failing this combination, and wo believe such a step would never be sanctioned by the Foreign Governments represented here, the most the Consuls can legally do, individually or collectively, is to advise the Samoan authorities. Although it is to be sincerely regretted that something cannot be done to prevent this abominable traffic, still wo cannot agree with our correspondent that the British Consul deserves censure for the step he has taken. We fail to see why the British or any other Consul should become a law-maker for, and thereby bolster up a Government (save the mark) that is totally unable to make a single law for the good government of their own people. Tho sooner the so-called Government retire from the office they are altogether unable to till, the better it will bo for tho country.

Pai.oi.o, —We understand that the annual risinj of the paklta will take place in a day or two. These who take an inter ; ~■ Ihe «porl would do well i- i on the alert, and see to their taokle. Tin; Am Cemetery. The Apia Cometary now presents quite arespeoi able appearance. It has Wen thoroughly cleared of all bush, and is oni loscd with a strong fence. Any person - eing it twelve months ago and visiting it now would not know it.