CHARGES OF MANSLAUGHTER. ENGLISH SUBJECTS ARRESTED. (FROM STAR CORRESPONDENT.) Troubles in Samoa.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 245, 10 March 1888, Page 4

CHARGES OF MANSLAUGHTER. ENGLISH SUBJECTS ARRESTED. (FROM STAR CORRESPONDENT.)

Troubles in Samoa.

Thk present state of affairs in .Samoa is likely to causo seiious trouble and bloodshed. A bhorb time ago a British subject, nemod McDonald, trading for the (!oi man firm at a place called Le Fsiga, about 30 miles from Apia, had some trouble with the native magistrate of that district. The cause of the trouble was that .McDonald had a hoi he grazing close to the roadside tethered to a cocoamit tree. An officious native policeman called up McDonald and inlormed him that he must arrest him for having his horse grazing outside his fence. McDonald told him that he would not be arrested, and that he did not recognise their (Government, as no person but the English Consul had jurisdiction o^erhim. The policeman then went and informed the magistrate that McDonald would not allow himself to be arrested. When additional natives were sent to assist in arresting McDonald, and came to his house for this purpose, McDonald warned them that it they attempted to arrest him in his own home, it would be at their risk. They took no notice of this warning, but made forcible entry, McDonald letiiing inside the house, they following him up. It seems* that McDonald had been in the habit of keeping a loaded fowling-piece (for the purpose of shooting fowls) standing in the corner of his room, and he seized the gun as the first thing that came to his hand to defend himself with. One of the natives cau»ht hold of the barrel of the fowlingpiece, and a struggle insued, during which tiie gun went oft, and the contents weru lodged in the breast of one cf the policemen. Immediately after the accident all the natives rushed out of the house. The native that was shot ran about 20 yards and then fell down. McDonald seeing that the native was wounded, went out to his assistance and endeavoured to stanch the wound. He assisted to carry him into a native house where he died. Shortly afterwards, a whole crowd of natives surrounded the house and seized McDonald tied him by his hands and feet said brutally illtreated him. The next day they fastened him to a horse and brought him to Apia. On arrival he was so weak from illtreatmcnt tnat ho could hardly walk ; his handb were swollen and his wrists raw from the effects ot the ropes with which ho was bound. The British Consul immediately took him out of the hands of the natives, but placed him under arrest until he could get bail, which ho had no difficulty in doing. Mr Brandise, Premier of the de facto Samoan Government, prosocuted McDonald., Mr J. P. Campbell, of the firm of Russell and Campbell, of Auckland, appeared for the defence. Mr Hethrington, solicitor for the prosecution, failed to prove that the native died from the effect® of the gun, shot wound. Failing to prove this fact, the case should have been dismissed by the Consul, but he decided to forward tho particulars on to Fiji for instructions from the High Corcmis* sioner of the Pacific.

ANOTHER PROSECUTION. The Germans are certainly doing all they can to prosecute British subjects in Samoa, and are now endeavouring to get up a tj&so of manslaughter against the Kov. Mr Hill, of the London Missionary Society. It has always been the custom of the missionaries in all the Pacific Islands to keep a supply j 'of medicines in their houses to administer { to the natives in cases of sickness, and for this purpose they undergo a course of medical training in some of the London Hospitals to gain the necessary -knowledge. ,It seems that a native called upon the Rev. Mr Hill, and begged him to supply some medicine for a native woman who was very ill. He stated that he had I called ,up Dr. Funk, but that he was not at i home, and he handed Mr Hill a I letter. Mr Hill prescribed a soothing powder, and after the native - left he opened the letter and found that it was written in German and addressed to Dr. Funk. In the afternoon he called upon the doctor and handed him the letter, at the' same time apologising for opening it, , A few days afterwards the woman died, and a post mortem examination was held, at which the doctors of the Germangun b^oat.AcUer were invited to be present) ; but mark you, although the p.S.-Bhijsjo£(<w.a y r;Mohican, whs 4n< harbour, they had. not the- • courtesy to "ask the, haedicai gentlemen , of that • ship to be prer ' sent* .After the post mortem, Dr; 'Funklaid 4 charge of, manslaughter a&aih'stf Mr Hill. Fortunately >f 91* that ,gentloman,r>Mr J. P.' Campbell had not loft Samoa, 'although he intended (doing so:the:next day by cutter, .order to, catch the mail . steamer Zea>' , lUndia at Tutuila, but, ■ at the urgent re4 quest of both' British 'and American re,sidenis, he remained >'io " defend 1 "Mi*