THE SAMOAN TREATY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 380, 26 June 1889, Page 4

THE SAMOAN TREATY.

The work of the Samoan Conference at Berlin was completed at Chancellor Bismark's official residence on May 29t>h. The sitting was brief. Nearly every point advanced by the American Commissioners was conceded. A status quo was established and fcen days allowed for the ratification of the treaty by all the contracting Powers. Secretary Bayard'g policy was adhered to closely by Blame, and . the United States seems to rule the roost. Germany is not allowed to collect heavy damages from the Samoans and a native Government is insisted upon. '

THE TREATY. The treaty was read in engrossed form, and was concurred in article by article. The provisions of the treaty first agreed upon related to the municipal government of Apia. The pointi was settled by the subcommittee and accepted by the, plenary Conference as contended* for by the American Commissioners. The Government of Samoa is to be exclusively native. None of the treaty Powers, will have a voice in the local government of Apia.' ■ The leading clause in the treaty insures absolute autonomy to the Samoan Island.'guaranteeing native influence in every governmental, body and restricting the treaty Powers from representation upon the Samoan Council. Secretary Bayard favoured such a representation. . ; < - \

, , THBv ADVISQRY^CqmiQII/. mi -The treaty provides* for ? an advisory council to consult with the' native King whenever necessary. In view of the large commercial interests of the United States and *of Germany,, each country is allowed a fullfledged member. England's representative will act only in' the character of arbiter, when bho German and American Ministers fail to agree. ' A A Land Commission is proyideftjv whose business it,shall,be to examine the, titles of Samoan real estate, settle disputed claims of foreigners in Samoa, and generally set) at rest questions of ownership to the land between foreigners and natives.

THE CONSTITUTION. A constitution for the government of the island is provided i for. , In this, feature Secretary Bayard's proposition to the first Samoan Conference is virtually adopted as a whole. The islands are to „be governed by a native King and .Vice-King elected by the Samoans. These, together with the, chiefs of Samoan families, will compose the upper House of the .native Legislature, styled the Taimua. The lower House, or Faipule, is to be made up of native, Samoans, chosen by the people on the basis of one representative to every 2,000. The treaty guarantees the restoration of the quo ante and the rehabilitation , of Malietoa as King. This point was long resisted by the German representatives in the plenary Conference. The outline of a tariff schedule was also embraced in the treaty. The terms in general provide for changos after the expiration of certain periods.

COALING STATIONS. < Tho provisions of several treaties now in existence between the Powers and Samoa as to coaling stations set apart upon the islands were re-enacted in the (treaty. A separate station is allotted to each Power, in which ships, of war may be at liberty to anchor and I'emain there to take supplies and repair. Each Government is at liberty to make there at its own pleasure all contrivances or arrangements as may be useful for ships of war and their officers and crews. It was agreed that each Power may erect buildings on the shores of the harbours for storing coal or other supplies for ships of war. Each Government is also at liberty to hoist its flag on the ground where the station building may be erected, but the sovereignty of the Government of Samoa over the harbours is not to be abridged or prejudiced thereby. The section which caused the most discussion was that prescribing the indemnity to be exacted from the Samoans for the destruction of German lives and property. The German representatives finally withheld their demand for an extortionate indemnity. Tho treaty provides for the payment of a nominal sum.

EXPRESSIONS OF SATISFACTION. The treaty hardly fails to be satisfactory to the citizens of the United States. It will be found to reflect quite as much credit npon ex-Secretary Bayard, who laid down the lines upon which it has been drawn, as upon the Administration under whose auspices it had been completed. The final ceremony of signing the treaty by the representatives of all the contracting Governments is to occur within ten days. An English Commissioner, who left for London to submit the draft of the treaty to his Govern mento, expressed himselt thoroughly satisfied. During the latter part of the discussion England's influence was thrown on the side of the United States.