GERMAN RULE IN SAMOA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 31, 2 March 1909, Page 4

GERMAN RULE IN SAMOA.

TROUBLE WITH THE NATIVES. IPOSSIBLLITY OF WAR. Auckland, Thursday. Further news of the position of affairs in Geiman Samoa was received on the arrival of the Tofua in Auckland from the Islands. When the native orator Lauati, of Savaii, who has been responsible for mo6t of ,tlie .trouble, was questioned about his large following on his arrival at Apia recently, he told Governor Solf that the people were liis friends from his own district, and without hostile intent. He was told to send them back to Savaii, and 1 it was suggested that he should ask for a permit for himself to retire to Tonga. His people woSId not hear oi this, and would not go back to Savaii until, it is reported, tho Governor had sworn on the Bible that he held nothing against their speaker, Lauati, and tlsat be was free from blame. Lauati has' since had several conferences with the Governor. "Quite a number of whites have been up and seriously questioned, even charged with sedition," said a passenger l>y the Tofua. "One man was gravely charged with having dropped the remark to a single native that the Government Treasury was like a leaky bucket—it was always empty. He denied that charge, and the matter ended. A German commercial traveller was charged with having said that three German warships were soon to arrive, and that Mrs. Solf wa9 going Home on account of native troubles. This was regarded as seditious. He denied having mentioned Mrs. Solf, and said be had merely enquired of an official if a rumor going about town was true that three German, warships were to come. Other German residents were seriously questioned about these trifling rumors, and one announced that the Governor's cook had told him, and that the cook had it from the housemaid, who had the story from Mrs. Solf herself. The alleged seditionists were thus acquitted. What all the people want, and want badly, is peace, but there -will only be a devastating wir if Governor Solf undertakes to rule there wi'th warships to back him. It would be singular to find Geripany 10-, cated in the mtdst of prosperous British and American colonies struggling with warships to enioree terms and maintain her rule."

The Samoanisehe Zeitung of 6th February contains the following interesting matter on the subject:— "Upon making further enquiries regarding the unrest amongst the Saraoaas we learn that the position has somewhat improved. The natives have apparently calmed down, and affairs seem to have assumed a, hopeful aspect, the incident being practically settled, at least for the time being. As we reported a fortnight ago, Lauati and his men obeyed tlie order of Dr. Soil ami left for home, and when he took his departure from Upolu the graver part of the situation .seemed tided over. However, some of the Upolu natives took umbrage at Lauati'* indiscreet and violent action at Vaiusu in bringing a large body of armed men with him, and showed a dispositon to resent it also by force of aims. His Excellency was a.t once informed oi this new phase of tlie trouble, and once more succeeded in nipping the disturbance in the bud by personally appearing in the fonos of Malie aadi Afega, and by sending messengers and letters to the districts of Aana and Atua. Oni Friday niglvt, 22nd January, Lieutenant Hecker, by orders of the Governor, left by the s.s. Dawn for the purpose of bringing the Savaii chiefs to Apia for the fono of the native Government to be held on the Emperor's birthday. The Dawn returned to Apia on Sunday with Arotmann, Williams, and the Savaii chiefs (including Lauati). A fono was held at Vailima on the following Monday, and matters were straightened out. Lauati was ordered back to his district that day, and obeyed jromptly. "As was naturally to be expected, this factional disturbance caused quite a lot o'j excitement in Samoa, both among the whites and natives, and many garbled and exaggerated rumors were bruited about, and will undoubtedly reach foreign countries, as on the very day of .Lauati's threatening to begin war a Union steamer was in harbor. It would he injudicious to blame the Government, as oiio has to take into consideration the fact that in the assertion of European law and order over a native race, and particularly over a race so changeable and conceited as the Samoans, w!io have many very clever orators among : ,t

them. occasional friction is bound to occur. When it does happen it require* the utmost care and judgment in the handling in order to avoid serious consequences, as our Government has no military power, and the arming of the white residents would still more excite the liaiuoans. Xo one can deny that our Administration has exercised great discernment and taet in handling tJie present critical question, and we may all he thankful that the incident has ended as happily as it has dooic so far."