ENGLISH INTERESTS IN SAMOA. GERMANY THE MANDATORY OF OTHER TOWERS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 291, 18 August 1888, Page 6

ENGLISH INTERESTS IN SAMOA. GERMANY THE MANDATORY OF OTHER TOWERS.

Rhfkkkinu to tho criticisms made by Iho Sauioan correspondents of Auckland papers upon the attitude of tho British Govern, ment towaids its subjects in the Western Pacific, the "Fiji Times," in an articlo e vidently " inspired,"' says: — "Events have proved, and very quickly proved, too, that tho coiicspondont in Samoa was wrong in his premises ; and that an English man -of war and a Consul - General, with a Chief Judicial Commissioner to boot, could and did find something to do, widely apaib from hanging an English subject. Tho Chief J udicial Commissioner w ent to Samoa to try a British siibj ct accused of manslaughter ; but as events turned out, he went to acquit, not to punish him. What niikjhfc have been tho consequence to the accused had British protection not boon extended in tho shape ol" British law, may not be vory diih'cult to iinauine. It must be borne in mind that tho peison accused had shot a Samoan oinoial uho was engaged in what he cclic\ed to bo the pi opcr dischargo of his duty. The man died. The question to be decided wa* whether he owed his death to malice prepense or to misadventuie. The position was not a happy one for the man who hud been committed for i>hc alleged oilonoe. Had there been no machinery by meant of « hich lie could havo been brought to trial before a judge of his o»mi nationality, it i?> somewhat moio than possible that a moic summary, certainly o les* impartial, organisation might have dealt with the case, lie would have been subject to the tender meicies and to tne capricious character of a Samoan judicial tribunal. What fate might have been meted out under the circumstances is plain on the surface — one possibly which would ha\e ioictcl England to a course ot action which cneum-tances cause hci to particulary desue to avoid. Tho oliender might have been sacrificed unjustly, but vengeance exacted for the wrong would scarcely have benefited him. A British Judge saved him, howe\cr. It may boas well togiveanillustrat'on here of the practical dcsiie which exists to fall in with the \iews of British authoiity when those lind expiession. When theHigh Com mi^sioner was lastatlSamoa, an incident came unclei lug notice which induced him to make Certain lepic-cntations. Strictly speaking, perhaps, it w a- one which scarcely called for Biitish intervention inasmuch as the person concerned w asaJSamoan. Buta principle was invoh ed w hiohatlectcd British interests, and His Excellency took steps to huveitpioperly vindicated . The man v\ question, a teacher 01 a pastor, named Leanga, had been sentenced by somo native authority and sent to gaol for the oflenco of desiiing and attempting to piy his debt:?. Tins sounds somewhat staitling ; but it is a stern fact, nevertheless. It arose as follows: — Leanga owed and had not been able to pay some taxes. Instruction-, had been given by the Samoan Government that 'if people could not pay their taxes, they must moitgagc their lauds in order to find the wherewithal. Leanga had obtained a sum of four dollars in order to discharge a debt of that amount, due by him to Me.-> rs McArthur and Co. He was pi evented fiom paying the money, but was oideicd to be impusoncd for ha\ing "committed an act of manifest dishonesty." The dishonesty consisted i:i his preferring to pay MeAithur and Co. lather than to pay his taxes. No law existed by which the imprisonment was authorised, and the whole pioceedmg was an undue exeicise of execu tive power. But, if allow ed to go unchecked, the interests of Butish traders in Samoa would cci tainly have been jeopaidi.-cd. The Consul-General took action at once : and hi'N representations had such eliect that Leanga was released without delay. Tho li^rht to unrestiictcd commercial iioedom was thus vindicated and the \ i&it of Hi->E\-cellency proved pioductivc of gcneial berorit. The aspect of matters u ifch respect to German domination lia> been materially ie!ie\ed. It is now understood that Germany act-> a-> the mandatoiy of the other Gieat Powcis, and that Great Britain and the United States may lclv on then subjects bcino duly pi otected. Tho illusti cation afforded by the incident lecounted is in ib&elt emphatic. The Samoan Premier i> a Get man. When this is remember., d and is placed in juxtaposition with tho prompt lemedy of injustice extended on the intimation of the representative of lliiti-h autl'onty, the icflection caused thoieby can but be satisfactory.