THE SAMOAN WAR. DOINGS OF THE GERMAN SQUARDON IN SIMOA. HIGH HANDED PROCEEDINGS. (FROM "AUCKLAND STAR.") Apia, August 24, 1887

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 220, 17 September 1887, Page 2

THE SAMOAN WAR. DOINGS OF THE GERMAN SQUARDON IN SIMOA.

HIGH HANDED PROCEEDINGS. (FROM "AUCKLAND STAR.") Apia, August 24, 1887

The culminating point of Cieunan intolerance and Biiti^li supincne 5^ has at last been reached here. The German squadron under the command of Commodoie Hensner arrived lieie on the 18tli August. Immediately after they landed | an armed party opposite the Samoan Government House ostensibly for practice, but in reality to try and goad the natives to some act. -which would give them (the Germans) the pretext to make repri^alo and either take po^e^ion or place Tainasese {the rival chief) at the head of aftairs. The Samoans ho\\e\ei refused to allow themselves to be inveigled into the committal oi anything which would justify any such leprisals. The Germans had put np a target on one side of the main load and were tiring from the other. They prevented people fiom passing, and even went j»o far as to threaten to shoot) the United States Consul (ieneral, who happened to be pas-sin t; at the time. E\en this did not uio\oke utaliation. However the Gei mans wet e nut to be outdone in this manner, so aftci casting about for some excuse they hit upon a "row 1 " which occurred after the dinner in honour -of the Emperor's Biithday. It appeals that on this occasion some of the Germans got drunk, and began to quarrel amongst themselves. They afterwards attacked some peacefully deposed Samoans, a\lio naturally i evented this attack. Dm ing the mehc which followed, in which, by the way, the Germans were considerably worsted, one of the German party got stiuck on the nose, the lesult being the breakage of that oigan. Se\eral Samoans -weie charged before the Municipal Magistrate, bub as their was not a tittle ot e\idcnce, they were dischaiged, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts made by the German Consul and the German magistrate to secure their conviction. Besides tin?, there have been numerous complaints fiom time to time of Samoans having robbed the German plantations. Immediately after the departure of the Noith German Company's, steamer Lu beck, •which left on the 23id, Malietoa received the fullovv ing letter from the Get man Consul : — [tkanm.atiov]