TALK AUDIT TOWN.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 67, 11 January 1879, Page 2

TALK AUDIT TOWN.

'P :'-.:.' Kg • ' t.ikin* Holes. And faith he'll :«r -at them."' Wars and rumours of wars, and Premiers and rumours of Premiers are the principal topics of conversation at the pi sent time. It i- generally understood thai General Bartlett has received an

official letti i fr >m the Taimua and F«l----pule requesting him to accept the position of Premier,- or adviser, or something of tin? sort. Tin- General's reply bos not yet been returned, but I suppose there can be no doubt that ho will accept the coveted hanch of grapes. A man should ahvay t I e very careful t i place his waste paper basket where ihu wind cannot get at it, or State secrets, ihnfts of speeches ie., may bo wafted into the haiuls of those who i Id not otherwise procure them. A smart putf of wind that wo had on Thursday probably blew a few torn straps of paper from somebody':! wast ■ bosket or else somebody else would not have been able to draw up the following as an imaginary report of n speech delivered ".I a banquet given tosomebody on lii> installation as Premier, or adviser, or whatever it is, of tuc great country of Samoa, It reads something after this stylo.—" Banquet to the Hun the Premier of* Samoa. In replying to the toast of theeveniug, -The health of the lion, the Premier of Samoa,—proposed by bis Honor Judge F— and seconded by Sir, .1. M. (..'—. private secretary and int. rcrctci th: ''i n,.e ■:■ •' g.i •■-. « ;i: Mj Lrirds of the Taimua, Hon. Gentlemen of the Faipule, a::d < leutleiiien : In rising lo address this august assembly which has done me the great, 1 may say unprecedented how r of inviting' me' to this ■ cia! hoard, 1 am pl.i.--1 i:i a nest unenviable position. 1 itm not accustomed • ■,,'! ion min >r occasions, t,i make an address ill public but with a heart overflowing witli grateful em it ion and iu the presence of so many great and distinguished men; men of world-wide repute for bravery, loyalty, honor and learning, 1 uv!'.-ni'.:h fail in the power of speech—in the ability to express the opinions 1 feel - iich at heart. If therefore, in my weak endeavour to express what I should like to say to you on this auspicious and never to be forgotten occasion

idea .if uiv oratorical abilities, 1 beg you will accept my humble apology for any •:'[ .to. ;eli.gS f 'A ■■: ll I 1' l' be *> •; (Ljud clieo'ie.) I am proud to occupy tin- position of Premier of such a largo a;:d fertile country, sc-nml only to my own America. Tin; laml is more than fertile; and its produce varied to a degree. (fhcei>o Auckland beef, Adelaide Hour. New South Wales tinned mutton. Circular Head potatoes, Swiss milk, Herman I ■■. (J uslaml rum, America!) salmon, Epps's cocoa, ami Hollow.iy's ointment are all produced in great profusion. (Cheers.; I liope also t-> have other local produce such as a poll-tax on foreigners, trading licenses, and harbour dues. No one will w lor, therefore, that yon are an amazingly prosperous pc .plo. ((.'heel's) Wu have several thousand acres of unoccupied land which iv;,s sold to a company and lias not yd been paid for, and wc arc Willing to sol] some more ul the same price; we do not want any capital or any p.ople. Thai would look as if we had some common sense. The only possible, damper here is in the far distance: so much and such continuous prosperity of this kind may ruin us. (Chisel's.) I have to congratulate yon, my Lords of the Taiiuua and honorable gentium.mi of the Fitipulc on tli" excellence of your Constitution, its irreproachable and sound basis, and the admirable manner in which you have heretofore preserved its spirit and integrity. Hear, hear.) I can offer no less a medc of piaisc to your excellent laws which seem to mi to be ill wonderful accord with tin; spirit of your Constitution, us also tii'.- truly admirable manner in which your officer* administer tho law. [Cheers.) During the few months J have resided amongst you as a private gentleman, in the hopes of occult ving the proud position I have now tho great honour to hold, I have never seen the slightest disturbance in the streets, or anything whatever to annoy the somewhat too sensitive feelings of tho foreign residents. I look upon you people as a maligned ami persecute I race, and fail to perceive the drunkenness and disorderly conduct in our midst, with which your people have btcn accredited by those blackguard newspaper f. Hows, and other of vottr numerous enemies. (Loud and prolonged cheering,) As to your adminittration of justice, i look upon it as simply perfect, 1 entirely agree with a reccni decision of his Honor Judge Final that a member of a Chief family, no matter of what offence he. has been guilty, should not receive as heavy a punishment as a commoner. (Cheers.) This may seem rather an extraordinary opinion to be expressed by a citizen and nsoldierof the United States: (A voice : "Kather":) Hut I hold-that when yon are ill Koine you must do as Rome does—(Laughter and ironical cheers.)—and, as I bi'lieve you Samoans thoroughly believe in your aristocracy I shall do my best in maintaining the social distinctions, intricate though they are, to a now-elnim foreigner, ((.'heel's.) I am very happy to hear, my Lords of. the Taiiuua and lion, liellticlilcll of the Kuipule that .Villi shortly intend to go into session of Parliament assembled. I have many measures to introduce for your occeptanoo, and also a special Supplementary Estimate for I87l». I shall present it to the Honourable the Fatpulo immediately they an in session with an earnest ropiest ! that in consideration oi the | iiliar e\iImmciM of the times, that honourable

'iOUM v ill Hfl it at their earliest COO-,-enionoe and treu»uut it to my '•"";,, l he Taimiri fo| their a.v. ptamv. The large*) and ni"-i important item in this special Supplementary |r'-timnte, as a matter of course, will be— Offioe ol the Premier: half a year's salary in advance: $3999 99}cenu>.' Oh) obi and ironical cheers.)—and I take tliis opportunity, in spito of those ironical cheers and cries of "Oh! oli!" which come from a miserably ti-u partisan* of a defeated candidate who offered to inn this high and dignified [offioe for a paltry S2'oo, I siy I take tin- opportunity of expressing a hope that no opposition to the passing ef thw 1 item will bo offered by either of your honoumblo Houses. (Cheers.) The other items will be of comparatively minor importance, bein» mainly for office furniture, stationery, cigars, and no advance en the salary "t' my worthy secretary and interpreter. (Cheers. With the pressing matters oli my linnds 1 can set vigounmslv to hork on my official duties: my principle hope and aim will be to avert the threatening civil war, and : raise my beautiful adopted country into the proud position of our of the chid nations amongst nation-. [Loud and prolonged cheering.) Rand: "Seo the conquering hero comes."

The British Consul CR. S. Swnnston, Es(|.) has removed hisoliiee and resilience from Captain TurnbuH's cottage to the more commodious and suitable building which bus been occupied at various limes by both British and American Consuls, the last being the somewhat notorious I'. S. Consul Griffin. While congratulating the British Consul upon his occupancy of these premises, and tie- British risideiits on the fact that they have now a place ill which to transact their business more worthy from a national point ot view, and more suitable for business to th- house which the Consul has just vacated, I cannot help thinking that not only here, bill elsewhere in the Western Pacific, the English Government, or, say, the Foreign Olliee show a groat wan! of' regard to the interests of their Consular officers in not providing them with ,n suitable olliee,—a building specially erected for a I'.ritish ( '.insulate. the matter stands at present the British representative had to content himself with a place totally unsuitable for bis occupancy, until within a couple of weeks ago, when, alter considerable trouble the Consul was successful in getting the present establishment, it is i.,.!,e hoped that some arrangement will I"- made to prevent the necessity of again removing the Consular records and Commissi jnerdocuments. 1 beard from Tontj.i a little while ago that the only place (he Knglish Consul c mill procure there was a native house, which, for numerous reasons i~ certainly not a tit place either for the residence of a Consul or as a depositary of valuable official d x-auieiits. ' If the Knglish Government think il worth their while to send an official In these places. thev should at least provide a suitable abiding place. The cost of roomv and substantial offices and dwelling house would be a mere lloa-bite; while the material prospects of hundreds of hard working worthy subject- I >iling in the Western Pacific, are liable at anv moineii! to he ruined bv a fin-brand hurled on to the slender native thatched roof by some unknown drunken kanaka. Friday night.

I hear as a positive fart, although [did not receive the iiiforniatiiin from tin: gentleman himself, that Iroticrnl Harriett has accepted office. If sneh hj ■ the rase, In- hits a tremendously up-hill pi •■< ! work cut nut liefore him, and while I think that his acceptation of office is a great mistake, particularly at this jimeturo of native affairs, I cannot help admiring Ms pluck,—if he really comprehends the extent and weight of the harden he has placed on his shoulders. This may seem like damning with faint praise, but 1 have not time at this late hour to go into particulars and therefore, until next week, give the General the benefit of the doubt. Anyhow, here's luck to you General, >■> long as you do not attempt to interfere with foreign residents, liurss we've had enough of that already from Stcinbrrgrr; and on a second attempt we shall cut up rough: ■ you bet ! I 'VJtIL