THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1878.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 65, 28 December 1878, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1878.

A .nkwsiui'kk is * nuisance! No matter in how large acenununity it circulates or how well conducted it be, it is bound from lime to time—unconsciously it man be— to bring to light something that somebody wiwrld prefer should lie hid. It is the special province of a newspaper to pry into everything. A reporter may ask questions of a stranger which the said stranger would almost knook his bosom friend down for daring to ask. Criminal affairs ore of course excluded; we refer merely to political and social matters; we simply mean that a newspaper is wrong in theory, though, in the main, right in practice. A newspaper we say is a nuisance not an evil: or if one will have it an evil, then it is an evil necessary in this nineteenth century. For present purposes it is not needful to discuss the question as it affects large centres of population. It more concerns us to consider the situation here in Samoa. What effect does a newspaper havo on our very limited community i Both side- of the (lustion must be looked at. Were Samoa within easy hail of huge centres of population and connected with them by regular and rapid steam communication, and was her European population

in spite of these advantages what it aow is in miinber, We should bo inclined to say that a newspaper would be a nuisance if not an actual evil. In a limited community then is always the risk of a paper gradually degenerating into a vehicle for scandal pure and simple. This is a danger whieh does not bo.se! the editor of a paper commanding n largo local oirouktion, It is a temptation though to which the editors of hundreds of papers published in Mnall towns in America Imve yielded, of impel* which, in many instances, bad better never have been started. Lei us look at the other side of the question, Samoa is isolated ; she has nothing which ran be ten I regular communication with the outside world, Leaving Europe out of the question, what do the majority

ol ordinarily intelligent peopla in M.l boon*, Sydney, or Auckland know of the Mate o{ society liiTi'l' Very little indeed. Their opinion is tliat " U «i hcombcrs ' abound; no one even by chance tells the truth, or turns an honest peony ; half the foreign population an constantly in a state of delirium tremens; of murderen and cut-throats we have more than our [.roper share." Here then is a ligitimate sphere of work for a newspaper. To represent, to the outside world, things as they it-ally are is surely no unworthy ta.sk. Under these circumstances we hold that our existence is justified, an extension of our circulation in foreign parts desirable, and the attempt praiseworthy.

As regards the local circulation of the Samoa Times there is the difficulty always present in small communities. In his desire to make the paper palatable, the editor may add too much "spice" and thus instead of uniting the community may split it into cliques. If OU r local readers will only believe it, our constant desire is to unite our sparse foreign population. We hold that a jwiper successful in doing this cannot hut be a blessing to a community like ours. This is the last number of the volume to bo inscribed IN7S; if that for 187U be received in the spirit in which it will be offered there will be less social irritation at the close of next year than there perhaps is v { th,t one now fast dying.

The Samoa Times Almanac—Tho Samoa Times Alumnae, for 1879, will bo ready for distribution to our subscribers on Wednesday ;next Non-subscribers can obtain them upon payment of Cd. tNicli.

Assault.—()n Wednesday-evening last, as Mr. Decker was proceeding home, be received a blow at the back of the neck, which brought him to mother earth. Upon Mr. Decker asking in Sainoan what that was done for, the culprit ran away. Unfortunately it was to., .lark to ascertain any more than thai tin' fellow was a native. We would advise parties having business out at night to provide themselves with a lantern ami a life-preserver.

Native QuarhKls.—On Wednesday last several native quarrels took place in and about Matafele, between several natives of Palcata and l-'oiupulu. Revolvers, knives, axes, clubs, an.l stones were brought into requisition. Two men were ceverely wounded in the affray. The cause of tin- disturbance is of |on« standing, ami these two parti.- become a complete nuisance t.. the residents of our town, by making the town the scene of then- tights. Judges Finai and Uutale, with a small number of men, exerted themselves for some four hours to keep the beligerants apart, but finding this impossible, they determined to let them fight, and content themselves by trying to keep other towns from participating.

Christmas.—On 'Christmas Eve our old fellow-townsman, .Mr. Curl Bell, of the International Hotel, had his premises very tastefully decorated with grcon bushes and Mowers. The most prominent feature, however, was a huge and well laden Christinas tree, which Mr. 801 l had provided for the young folks. About thirty of the rising generation, of all sizes ami colours, danced around the tree for about two hours to some of the best tunes tif Uncle Bruce, who presided at the violin. The tree was stripped and its contents distributed to the youngsters, who then went home highly delighted with their evening's amusement. On Christinas night Mr. J. Acosta's Hotel zur Stadt Hamburg was very nicely iliuminatcd with Chinese lanterns, but the night ro so very wet that few people ventured out.