THE SCHOONER OLIVE. A HARD CASE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 428, 14 December 1889, Page 4

THE SCHOONER OLIVE. A HARD CASE.

"Ix connection with the schooner Olive referred to in our columns last week (say§ the "Satnoan Timee," of our latest date to hand from Apia), the matter was made the subject of an inquiry before the British Consul. Mr Carruthers appeared on bohalf of the Consul, and Captain Ross was represented by Mr Skeen. Tho inquiry lasted some days, and in the ond Captain Ross, we believe, was ordered to take the Wallis Islanders, who boarded his vessel, back to Wallis, and to pay tho expenses of thoir maintenance until landed at Wallis, and also the cost of sending an armed escort with them, This the captain refused to do, and, notwithstanding the fact that the Consul held the ship's papers and refused to give them up until the captain obeyed his order, he hoisted sail last Saturdaj, at noon precisely, and left the port. Where ho has gone is a matter of conjecture. Some say to Tonga, to unload his cargo into the Eugenie barque, which vessel is lying there, while others Bay to Auckland, or to Fiji, Wheroever ho has gone though he is bound to experience difficulty, as he has not got his papers, and tho matter will then require to bo further looked into by by the shipping authorities. In the meantime the islanders are under the charge of Folau, and are, we believe, to be sent back to Wallis by the British Consul, afc the expense of the captain of the Olive, or tho charterers, Messrs Wm. McArthur and Co." It will be remembered that the Olive was boarded a f«w weeks ago ab Wallis Island by a party of natives who overawed the crew and were unwillingly given a free passage to Samoa. If the captain had attempted to forcibly remove them bloodshed would probably have ensued, and whether the crew or the natives were victorious, the affair would have assumed a very serious aspect. The decision of tho British Consul eeema very singular in vievr of the circumstances of the case. To most people it would seem that it was quite enough to give a weeks' free passage on board a vessel to a party of a dozen armed South Sea Islanders without being compelled to become responsible for their maintenanco at their destination, and then have to convey them comfortably back to their homes. The course of action which would have commended itself to most people, other than the Consul, would have been to send the natives back in the first British man-of-war, and have them sufficiently punished for their highhanded action. It is supposed by the charterers here that the Olivt has left Apia for "Vavau, thereto unload her copra into the barque Lotos for Europe. The Saraoan and Tongan mail, due here on Saturday next by the Wainui, should I bring further information regarding the affair.