SAMOA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Apia, June 12.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 381, 29 June 1889, Page 3

SAMOA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Apia, June 12.

EVERYTHING PEACEFUL. , Everything is quiet here at present. It is expected that the result of the Conference will be permanent peace. A little stir was caused by the arrival of the German steamer Lv beck with the news that Germany would chastise Mataafa. He (Mata* afa) immediately sent out to recall his men within easy distance of Apia, where he is located, so thao if the Germans made an attack they would be at hand to repel it.

DINNER' BY THE KING. The King gave a dinner last Saturday bo which he invited Admiral Khnberley, the Consuls and the principal foreign residents. The invitations were generally accepted, excepting- of course the German portion of the community, who have not yet forgiven Mataafa. About 150 whites and the same number of native chiefs attended the dinner. Several excellent speeches were made,' notably those of the King and Lauati (the great talking man of the island of Savaii).

VISIT OF 'THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. H.B.M.s. Rapid arrived from Fiji on Sunday, having on board Sir John Thurston, Con9ul-Genoral and High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. The object of his visit is, it is believed, to investigate charges which have been made by the German authorities against Colonel de Coetlogon of having been* in collusion with Mataafa during the late troubles which have resulted so disastrously for the Germans. There is no ground whatever for the complaint, which must of necessity be dismissed. Some serious complaints have also beon made by Messrs W. McArthur and Company's representatives impugning the administration of justice by Colonel de Coetlogon. As the case has not yet been heard, I must refrain from mentioning tho various complaints which have been lodged. MeArthur and Company have aleo appealed to the Supreme Court, Fiji v \against the verdict awarded in the recent case, and also against the costs allowed, which were very heavy, i H.B.M.s. Egeria arrived yesterday, the 11th. She is taking in coal and will leave again on Saturday.

A LAMENTABLE ACCIDENT. A deplorable accident through the careless handling of firearms occurred here last night (the 10th). Several American man-of-war sailors were in a saloon kept by a German named Yoigt. / It appears that some native boys were making a considerable noise outside tho saloon, which noise annoyed Voigt, who seized a revolver and went outside with the intention, no doubt, of scaring 1 the natives, for, returning to tho saloon, Voigt went behind the bar and was handling the lovolver in a careless manner when it exploded, the ball passing through the heart of an American sailor who was standing in front of the bar. The sailor staggered outside, "and fell down, of course dying immediately. A large crowd gathered around the hotel, and had it not been for the intervention of the comrades of the American sailor, it is very probable some violence would have ' been offered to Voigt by the excited bystanders, who were at the time under the impression that the shooting was intentional. Some American marines were quickly on the spot, and mounted guard until the arrival of the German Consul, who caused Voigt to be taken into custody. A preliminary investigation was held to-day.