THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1879.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 110, 8 November 1879, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1879.

German Consul General.—Corvetten Cupitain von Zerapesch, the newly apppointed German Consul, General for Western Polynesia, arrived here per Bismarck on Saturday last. The War.—There arc numerous reports flying about respecting the native war, but the sources of information are so utterly unreliable and the reports of such a contradictory nature that we deem them unworthy of, publication, One thing, however, it is certain that a naval engagement took place on Tuesday lost oil' Safata, when the King party suffered the lobs of one killed and three wounded. We have not been able to ascertain the casualties on the other side. The Bismarck's Band.—On Wednesday night last the splendid brass band of H.I.G.M.S. Bismarck made a break in the usual monotony which pervades our quiet little town, by coining on shore and discoursing sweet music to a large aud appreciative audience upou and around the grounds of Mr. Albers. The night •being fine a goodly number of foreign residents turned out to listen to the musical strains of this young but nevertheless efficient baud. Everybody appeared to enjoy the treat, the only regret expressed being that they came so seldom. A Doctor. Wanted.—Now that the Rev. Geo. A. Turner, 11.D., is about to leave our midst for Scotland, upon a well earned leave of absence, we shall, in a few weeks, be without a medical man in our midst, —a position that is anything but desirable. There is very little doubt that there is a fair opening hero for a good, steady, practical doctor, moro especially so if he is a good surgeon. Wo think that a publio meeting should bo called at once, in order to ascertain whether some inducement cannot he offered to a thoroughly competent man in tlio shape of a guarantee. High Commissioner.—A telegram to a Now Zealand paper, dated Sydney, ■October 2, says:—"lt is rumoured that Mr. Thurston, Coloniul Secretary of Fiji, has been .appointed Commissioner for Polynesia, vice Sir Arthur Gordon. His future residence will bo Sydney." This I rumour *wo do not ■believe to be true. A few weeks ago Mr. Thurston was appointed secretary to the High Commissiouor, therefore wo .are of opinion that tho Sydney people in their eagerness to have the High Commissioner's Court centred in their city, have not been able to seo tho word "secretary." Pai.olo.—Yesterday and Thursday were the usual annual days upon which this peculiar worm of the sea rises to the surface of the water to sink again immediately old Sol makes his appearance above the horizon. As usual, large nutu- ' bors of natives and foreigners crowded tho numerous openings in the reef in various kinds of boats and canons, and waited pationtly, scoop-net in hand, for daylight to appear. Large quantities of thej>alolos were.captured, .and served as tl>e principal dish for breakfast on many tables. This worm isconsidered quite a delicacy by the natives and also by many foreigners,- aud it is the more relished from the fact that it can only be obtained onco a year. Therefore palolo timo is looked forward to with as .much pleasure and speculation by tho natives, as children in a civilised country look forward to .the coming of Christinas. The Governor of Fiji.—Since "what cannot ho cured must be endured," we ■would ask our Fiji neighbours to stop their wailing and make the best of what they seem to consider a bad job. Ve aro of opinion that Sir Arthur Gordon has been more sinned against than sinning. Although we cannot agree with all that Sir Arthur has done in his government of Fiji, still the all-round manner in which tho people have been striking at him has not been just, .nor has it ■tended to sottlo the real grievances which thoy may have had. Tho following imiugrnph from tho European Mail of 1 August speaks for itself :—"The .inhabitants of Fiji have been informed by the Colonial Office that it has been 'decided to allow Sir Arthur Gordon, G.C.M.G., to retain the government of tho colony for tho full period for which he was ap- . pointed, and that no notieo can bo taken • to their recent i*titiou. This will be a j great disappointment to tho petitioners." Neutral Territory.—On Wednesday last Captain Deinlmrdt of the warI ship Bismarck, with Th. Weber, Esqr., ■ German Consul, and the German Consul, i General weut.Jo tho territory boundary nt ioowiH-d, and 'found that the old partyhad built a fort inside the neutral territory. After consultation with thocMofs of the party, they wore allowed a fortjjight in which to romovo (ho fort to tho outside of tho boundary. Sinoo tbon, however, we learn that the old party who have thus .broken the neutral tern-

Tory agreement made between them, the] king party, and the Foreign repreicjttrttives just prior to the commencement of hostilities, have encroached still further .1 ou neutral ground, and committed great I depredations on the plantations of Mr. j ScLieler and other foreigners in the neighbourhood. Of course the raid thus com- j menced by foraging parties will not ond here, -and may be looked upon as one of the results of the very lenient manner in whioh they were treated when they wero allowed a fortnight to remove a fort from neutral ground. - - -*~