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Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 70, 1 February 1879, Page 2

Divine Service.—To-morrow beinj the first Sunday in the month, the Rev L/r. Geo. A.. Turner will (d.v.) hold divine servi.s in the Foreign Church, Apia, at 17.50 p.m.

The Germah t Samoan' Treaty. A treaty of friendship, «ve understand, was concluded between Germany and Samoa on Friday last, ana ratified by the f aimua a»»l Faiwili on Saturday. The treaty made out in the German and Sabsau languages, and no ELglish trauslstionNjaviUjj as yet been maue out, we aave Deetr-uiiablc "to obtain a copy for tins issue, but nope to be able to do sc in time for our next.

Assault. —Or. Friday last th? case of George Piescctt, an American half-caste, versus JdagOgi, a native, was heard in tiie Untied bujtts Consulate, before T. il. Dawson, Esq., United States Consul, and Samoa., a Taiqiua. ..This was a t-aso ant witn assaulting him m Matofeie c;i Monday last, ana n-itu ; :emg aiiuik aud disorderly Fineds2o. Mr to/ appeared for the prosecution Eajcgecocs Practice.—Daring ;h= oast week w« ha< = sbsetved several ters"s, iothasacre and :.". board one ?t t.: - vesssls r presect iu harbour, engaged i;. rifle shoo! r,.- a: a mark in the middle el the harbour. This is dangerous iu 'A; extreme In fact we have received several complaints from parties who nave narrowly ex:ap-a being nit by some of the nui.ierous ride balls ua e oeeu Bying ab:ut the harbour wicnin die last few

days. We further understand thu. tjis practice has proved so dangerous t o the beats of the Aioatross tha: Captain M=ucing has ;aid a protest again-t it at the various Conciliates. It' uiese parties are desirous of trying their skin with tilt rifle, there are smeiy plenty oi pktes .n----laud where they a target, and fire away to taeir aeart'a content n*itn:a enaa the ii m oi their neighbour nor run r.hs ;lsk of being themselves ar riig.ied for luar.slaughter

The Weatheii—During the- oftei noon and of Sunday last, we wart visited by a perfect downpour oi ruin, with oceasicnal a?a\y squails ai wiad from the W, and N.W J.'he rain was so heavy as to cause the heaviest freshet o: the season to cjme down the Voisigago So strong was the current of this river that a channel was cut rigut under the western approach to Williamson's bridge, causing considerable damage to that structure, nearly the half of it having fallen in. We are glad to notice that ilr. Williamson has haa the damaged part' repaired, and the bridge is once more passable. lLsrc is no doubt but that this bridge is a public benefit, and an institution tnat would be very much missed were it away ana jot replaced. The present structure has beeu erected, and a?w repaired, at cousiderable expense by Mr. Williamson. We make these remarks because several people consider that tho bridge is a public throughfare, object to pay a monthly subscription for its support, but do nc; object tj make use of if wr.ene\er they wisn to cross the river, and then abuse the proprietor whou he asks for justly due. Mr. Willaruson certainly deserves every support in this enterprise, atd we hope those who have been using the bridge without paying will consider the meanness ox the action, independent of the fact that they are liable to be prosecuted for trespass.

Ckihbj of the Week.—During tho past week it hai teen pretty strongly demonstrated that crime is increasing' fast amongst the Saiuoans, and no doubt will do so until some exasperated foreigner takes the luw into his own h.ui.l and treats a fe* of the desperadoes to an ounce or two of lead, or the to-called Government prove thoiusolves to bo able and willing to suppress it. On Aloud uy

last, George Prescott, a half-caste in the employ of Mr. Hetheriugton, while walk , ing through Matafele with a trsy containing his employer's dinner, was knocked down, and the tray and contents scattered upon the street, At about 10 o'clock the sane nigut an o'.d man named Broosa, whilst walking put the Catholic Church received a biow on the side of the head , that knocked aim senseliss to to? ground I After lying for some five minuses the unfortunate oh! man came to and proceeded on bis way home but la he *H pa si ig the Ooci mm >tel he received j another i | m, which again km eked him i down F ■ inately tbi perpetratoi of i this last set was recognised, is now, ve believe, iu custody, and tbera is very, liulo doubt but tha" the Imperial Ger- , man Consul will see taa: he gets his deseits. On the saoie cay Mr. Mb.;ir, of iMstautu, hj» i his kitchen entered and ! the whole of tu= cooki.ig utensils ukon therefrom ; and the premises occupi-l by ! Ah Sam, also of Mutautu, vers entered, and the whole ol his c. tues was) carried

away. On Tuesday the dwelling bouse of Mr. Millar was entered and ».quantity cf provisions aim plates and knives stolen from it, Oi Wednesday atternuon the 3-irne house was entered, an.l nearly all he clothes belonging to Mr. Petersen were carried oft, together with a quantity ol' top's '.'.■• rthei goods, fhe thieves in tiut 1 Lstance went about thfir w. rk witn the deliberation of prnoticed hands Finlii.g that the door wm securely fastened; they determined not to hi beaten, so went to w.ik and took th? do-r ".m it« casings clean out, quietly laid It in a carpenters bench which was standing on th~. verandah, uni entered the house T.-iey then [carded off two large einsts containing carpenwr's to Is mo clothe?, ifter carrying them about two hundred yards into tor bush, they deliberately bnke ihe lidspicked cut the bcs. of everything, and then decamped. If any of tbo perpetrators of thesi are brought up, we wjuid advise the Consul who- represents I the foreigner, to urge, in the absence of a gaol, and public works to ptrt them at, that the prisoner get the lash. This is no doubt against civilised notions of ptmis'oiiig crimk.ah oi the nature above referred to, but in Samoa, at tho present day, nothing is so effectual. Fining is worse than useless, as we pointed out a few issues back, therefore, until prisons ca. be erected, and more civilised and effectual means of punishment can be enforced, we urge tho use of the cat.