SAMOAN NEWS. TAMASESE'S PARTY WORKING. TWO WOMEN SHOT IN APIA. DESTRUCTION OF A NATIVE VILLAGE. Apia, October 2.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 309, 20 October 1888, Page 6

SAMOA N NEWS. TAMASESE'S PARTY WORKING. TWO WOMEN SHOT IN APIA. DESTRUCTION OF A NATIVE VILLAGE. Apia, October 2.

The political situation is about the same as at last advices. The Malietoa-Mataafa party is gaining followers every day, while Tamasese is getting weaker. Therehavebeen a number of slight skirmishes during the month, and Tamasese's people invariably got the worst of them, losing a number of men. If it were not for the support given by the Germans to Tamasese the trouble would soon be ended, as his followers are merely sticking to him through fear. The Germans are trying hard to quarrel with Mataafa. They made a charge against his party of committing depredations on one of their plantations, arid the German Consul told Mataafa that his people must remove from that plantation. The > fact is that the people were on Samoan territory all the while, butin order to avoid giving any offence to the Germans, Mataafa moved his men from the vicinity. The [ warships Calliope (Admiral Fairfax) and Lizard arrived to-day, and everyone here feels much better for their presence. The United States warship Adams and the German man-of-war Adler are still here.

! FOUR MEN SHOT DEAD. Since the fight of September 12 h, both parties have been adding to > heir numbers. Tamasese and his army are confined strictly to Mulinuu Point, which is occupied by marines from H I. M.S. Adler, and of course safe from any attempt being made on it by Mataafa's men. Several boats sent up country to towns still favourable to Tamasese to procure food were fired upon, bub no damage was done until Monday last, when one of Tamasese's supply boats ventured out alone, and, unfortunately for them, came within reach of Mataafa's boats' guns. A sharp fire was opened by Mataafa's men, and four of Che occupants of Tamasese's boat were shot dead, two of them dying almost immediately and the other two at night.

SHAMEFUL OCCURRENCE IN APIA. Mostly all the natives are collected in and around Apia, and are well armed. Tarnasese and his people, together with Brandeis, are shut up in Mulinuu Point, the German troops guarding them to prevent Malietoa's people from attacking the Point. Tamasese and his people are totally without food or water, and are depending upon the Germans for their supplies. This occurred aboub two o'clock this morning in Apia, and will give you some idea of the usual state of things here. We sincerely hope that England will at length be induced to interfere and allow the Samoans the privilege of selecting their own king, and thereby put a stop to the civil war. " At any rate, a British ship of war should be stationed here to protect British inhabitants. The German tirm is guarded night and day by German troops. The British inhabitants are perfectly secure as long as Malietoa's troops hold Apia and the surrounding country, but should the German Government declare war upon Malietoa's people, and Tamasese's followers get possession of Apia, they would not feel so very safe.

A VILLAGE BURNT. Intelligence has just been received that 43 houses were burnt down last; night at Leuluinooga by a Savaii contingent of Mataafa's army, one of the houses being Tamasese's principal residence. It is reported that the act was a retaliation for the burning of their town by the German ship of war Olga last year.