THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1880.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 135, 1 May 1880, Page 2

THE SAMOA TIMES. "Sworn to no Master, of no Sect am I." SATURDAY, MAY 1, 1880.

DiviseSkrvicf.—Theßev.d.H.Davies will (D.V.) hold divine servieo in the Foreign Church, Apia, to-morrow (Sunday) at 10 a.m.

Dktkstion opthr Srhooxkß Rovkh, —This vessel which arrived in our harbour from Auckland some short tinio ago, and which according to notice in our last issue, was to have proceeded to the Friendly Group about the beginning of the present week, was detained for' several days through the action of H.B.M Consul i:i refusing to return tlio ship's papers until the Captain found security 11 the extent of :M0U(), that ho would not sell the sidiooner to aiy Sanioan. So far as we can learn, Captain Dixon on arrival here intended his vessel to any one who was prepared to pay his price, but in course of conversation with H.M. representative, having learned that it was the opinion of thnt gentleman that it was undesirable to sell vessels to Samoans in tho present state of the country, ho gave up the idea of negotiating with natives for the punnhasfloft'iio Rover. Tho action on tho part of TI.M. Consul was therefore all the more {'.explicable to Captain Dixon, who not wishing to tie detained on an}- pretext ■ fhatevur,, applied to sovoral of the loading residents to become security for Mm hut without success, ovcry one saying that they were ignorant under what authority the Consul made the demand for security. As Captain Dixon was unwilling to proceed to sea without papers ho applied to tho Consul to review his decision, with the effect that the personal bonds of himself and Mr. E, I'. Uriliboti, supercargo of the Rover, word accepted in lieu of tho previous demand for the bonds of two rcsi-«h-iits of this place. Probably Her Majnsty'e representative | lqro },„„ fafa j„. •triietionsoii which he basiw his action in the present case, hut we arc not aware of any existing Conmlar regulations or clauses of the Western Pacific Ordinance j whi«li Mistify him in the course ho liai I • adopted in to the Rover.

Municipal Board.—The usual meeting of the Representative Members took place on Tuesday. .Present: Messrs. Coe (Vice-President), Alvord, Volkmann, Davis, and Spieis. The Vice-President in tho Chair. A letter from Mr. E. St. Foy in reference to the action of the Board concerning tho City Front, was remitted to the consuls for their consideration. The usual routine business having been pone through, the meeting was adjourned till Tuesday, 4th May. The New Legislators! Tho following little episode occurred at the first meeting of Malietoa's foioign advisers with the native members of the Government. Iu replying to a speech made by a native legislator, welcoming the foreign advisers, the Minister of Justice drew attention to the crowded state of the houso which served as tho Legislative Hall, and suggested that from a sanitary point of view, as well as from tho undesirability of having an unlimited number of law-makers, that all present, with tho exception of himself, his colleagues, and three of the Taimua, as representing the King, should retire. Saga, of Fasototai, who carried under his arm a portly volume of Tongan statutes, demurred to the proposed expulsion, and said he thought that "in the multitude of counsellors there was wisdom." A hint from Mr. Coe that if tho wishes of himself and his co-adjntors were not complied with they would return to Apia and resign had the desired effect, a general exodus taking place. In a short time tho temperature of the house was palpably lowered, and the reduced assembly proceeded to take into consideration a few preliminary matters. Municipal Court.—During the past fortnight the following enses have been disposed of in this Court'; —On the 10th. Latapie, for engaging iu his trade as carpenter without a license, was fined £>■) and ordered to take out a liconsu at once. The defendant in this case was further fined §3 for contempt of Court, but' this latter fine was remitted on Mr. Latapie

o"fForing an apology to the Court. Fale and Tupon were charged on the 23rd with breach of tlio pence, etc. We have already noticed the fines and imprisonment inflicted in this case.—Ah Hing, on the 25th, was charged with supplying liquor to nntives. Case postponed for further evidence.---On the 2Gth, George Dedden appeared to answer to a similar charge to that preferred against Ah Hing. This breach of regulation was alleged to have been committed on 20th February, but as there was no evidence to prove the oifenee, (he case was dismissed. A further charge against the Inst defendant for contempt of Court w:is proved, and a fine of $5 inflicted.—On the 26th, Chas>. Johnstone was fined s■"> for a breach of the regulation concerning supplying liquor to natives.—Mole. 800, SnlutoSa. and two others were each mulcted in the sum of $1 for indulging in language and conduct not becoming the fair (!) sex. A NnvEi. Application*.—That simpleminded native known to foreigners .is John Adams, of Apia, applied to His Worship, the Municipal Magistrate, one day this week for leave of absence for the two prisoners F:de and Tupon. who were convicted on the 23rd inst. of drunkenness and other misdemeanours. The applicant informed His Worship that the prisoners were very anxious to attend a grand native marriage which was to take place in a few days, and that if leave were given them to be present, they would finish their term of imprisonment after the festivities were over. Smiling grimly and parodying a pliraso which was in common use a few years nor). His Worship replied, "Not for Richard!"

Tirr. Wkatiikij.—Favoured as wo am in these Islands for the greater pnrt of the year with sunny skips and genial weather, climatic changes do nut form such a fertile subject of conversation or notice as in countries situated in the temperate zones, hut the weather for the past fortnight has been of such <t different character to what we expect at this time of the year, that, it for once supplies matter for comment. The S.E. trade wind which generally sets in during the present month, seems to have forsaken lis, and lately we have alternated hotween fierce heat and downpours of rain. The torrents which fell on Thursday night were of a thoroughly tropiral nature and seem to have been heneficial in clearing Ilia atmosphere, as the weather on our going to press is somewhat cooler. Of late years the climate in some parts of the globe has sensibly altered, and from the indications of the past year or two tho climate of this part of the Pacific appears also to he undergoing a change.

Notes thom Savati.—AVg learn that about a fortnight ago a rather serious collision took place between tlio King Tavtv mill tbo supporters of thn Old Mnlo in the town of Saffltu, Tim traiihlo arose through the Maliotoa supporters, who wisely stayed at home during Hie late, war, liolpicicr themselves rather liberally to (he food planted by the adherents of the Did Government, while the laitcr parly were absent on Upolll. Clubs, knives, ami other weapons were freelv used, but with no more serious result that a few split shulls and other minor mishaps.—About fourteen days njro two toJirauluoA and one boat, with nnumorous party Oil board, arrived in Mnlautu harbour from Attia, bringing u request to the chiefs of the dist'riet of Matnutn to come to Ltifi Lull and assist, in ro-estab-lishingthe Old Government, \V« understand the expedition was not Auceossftil, the Savaii paoplo answering that whilst not ftntisllo.il with Malietoa as King, the present peaco was preferable to war, and that tbo visit of anv largo body of men from SaVflii to Upolll nt the present time might, load to a collision between tho opposing parties.