ARRIVAL OF THE ORLANDO ADMIRAL FAIRFAX INTERVIEWED. THE SAM0AN QUESTION. Auckland, Feb. 26.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 347, 2 March 1889, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE ORLANDO ADMIRAL FAIRFAX INTERVIEWED. THE SAM O AN QUESTION. Auckland, Feb. 26.

H. M.S. OrivAN do, the flagship of the Aus tralian Squadron, arrived in harbour this morning trom her visit to the Southern poition of the colony. Rear- Admiral Fairtax landed .li'oin the flagship shortly betore eleven o'clock, and was driveu to (government Hou?e, which he again makes his headquarters during his'-stay -in Auckland. He was waited on there during the course of the morning by a representative ol the Stab, who was most courteously received. In reply to inquiries the Admiral stated that he had enjoyed his trip South very much: he had inspected all the harbours, and he had visited the Sounds. These latter he considered magnificent, and expressed himself highly delighted with his fortnight's visit to them. Politics were then touched upon, and our reporter endeavoured fco obtain Admiral Fairfax's views on the Samoan question. On this, however, he was to all intents and purposes dumb. He was very reticent indeed on the matter. He had recehed a report from Captain Hand, of the Royalist, and he had cabled home the particulars of the disturbance at Samoa. An for all the facts, he was not in receipt of them, certain reports asked tor by him not having been as yet received. As for international questions and questions re ating to the conduct o\ h\s officers, whether good, bad, or indifleient. he must decline to have anything to say on them. He said that the declaring of war and of martial law gave a belligerent nation tremendous power even over neu trial parties but it seemed a question whether war had been declared by Germany at Samoa when thedisturbance with respect to theßichmond arose. Certainly as the Gei mans- were not in occupation ot the country at the time they were not justified in proclaiming martial law. Respecting the movements of the squadron the Admiral was more communicative. He informed our repoi ter that the Orlando was to leave for Sydney to-morrow in order to bring over relief crews that had come out from England. These included a relief crew for H.M.s. Dart,, now *in harbour. Her present men, he taid, would in all probability be sent home by some of our trading steamers. The Dart is at present in dock at Calliope, and the Admiral stated that all her repaii s, etc. , amounting to almost complete refitting, would be done here. The Orlando will be away but a short time and should be back on the Waitemata about the 20th March. Her future movements as well as those of the other vessels of the squadron depended on circumstances. So far as had been settled, no additional vessel was to proceed to Samoa ; the Calliope was there, and she was sufficient. The Opal and Lizard, Admiral Fairfax expected, would arrive from the South about the end of the week, but their stay here was uncertain, nothing being decided.

WHAT CAPTAIN HAND SAYS. Captain Hand, of H.M.s. Royali?t, was interviewed by a repot fcer with the object of ascertaining what paithe played in the Lecenfc di&tui bance at Samoa, more particularly dealing with the Geiman outrage on Mr Gelling and the caigo of the steamei Richmond. Captain Hand gave his account of Mi (Selling's arrest and release as follows : — " Information was brought to me on board the Royalist of what had been done, and I went at once to the British Consul, and we both taid that Mr Gelling must be immediately released, as by his arrest an outrage had undoubtedly been committed. I then went on board the Adler, and told Commander Fl'itz thab Mr Gelling was to be sent back to the Richmond in a (leiman boar. The British Con-nl at the t.uno time demanded Mr Gelling* release Loin the German Consul. The Gemnms Mr Gelling breakta&t on bo.ud the Ai'ei, and treated him very hosp tably (so ho said), and in couise of the to enoon lie was pent back to the Richmond. 1 do nut know what occurred at the comt-maitivl 1 believe the captain of the Adlur spoke to Mr Gelling on the quai tei-deck, Imt Mr C-elling did not complain ot anything." Captain Hand was a&ked whechei he had to use threats before he induced the c©m mander of the Adler to lelease Mr Gelling, and whether it was tuiu that the Ro\ahst and the American man-o'-uar Nipsic ran out their guns to compel the Geimans to refrain from interference with cargo on board the Richmond. Captain Hand said that no such demonstration was made on the Royalist and th \i he knew of nothing of the kind having taken place on board the Nipsic. He said that what took place between himself and the captain of the Adler was known only to themselves so far. He had yet to forward his repoitto his superior oih'cer, Admiral Fairfax, and did not consider it right to make theparticulars public thiough the press. He said, "Immediately ] knew that the Germans were bieaking caryo on board the Richmond, I sent an oliicer on board and stopped it." "Then you don't anticipate a repetition of the Richmond affair?" queried the icportei. "No, I do not," replied Captain Hand. " The Germans had the law laid down to them pretty cleaily before 1 left, and i don't believe that Captain Kane will have any trouble on that score. As lor the search of goods after they have been landed, I cannot speak for certain. The lawyers ashore gave it as their opinion that the Germans could have the goods landed at a certain place and searched. The Germans, however, will not be permitted to search the Richmond on her pi csent trip as they did before. Their light is to look at the ship's papers, mid tee that she is a merchant ship. They were not allowed to look at more than the papers of the steamer Wainui ■when &he went down. I sent an olhcer on board, and when the German officer visit* d the steamer he was told that he could not look at the Wainui's papers, but that was all, and he did no more." Concerning the part that the Nipsic | vras reported to have played, Captain Hand said that the arrest of Mr Gelling was a matter that did not concern , the Americans, Mr Gelling being a British subject. He (Captain Hand) told the Germans that Mr Gelling was to be sent back to the Richmond, and he was sent back. As for the breaking of British cai'go he stopped 1 that immediately he heard of it. Ib was tuio that, owing to representations made by the Captain of the Nipsic, the Germans ceased to break open American consignments, but : he believed that this was only for a time and that the older was subsequently countermanded. Our representative, who was most courteously received by Captain Hand, then oxpressed his acknowledgments and withdrew.

The Edlingham police have been i acquitted from blame in connection with the false imprisonment of the two suppogtd rectory burglars. The "Times" is applying to have the actions brought by Parnell against it in Ireland dismissed, pending the result of the Scotch action.