Back from Samoa.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 93, 15 September 1914, Page 3

Back from Samoa.

THE JIONOWAI'S MEX. Auckland, September 13. A number of -members of the first expeditionary force returned to Auckland in Transport No. 2 (s.s. Monowai) on Saturday afternoon, direct from Apia. The detachment comprised 05 officers and men. Seventy-one volunteers from Xew Zealand formed the bulk of the returning draft, thirteen being from Auckland, and the balance from the sth Regiment and other Wellington units. Lieutenant L. M. Liardct (sth Regiment) was in command, and the force was accompanied by Surgeon-Captain A. C. McKillop, of Wellington, and Chap-lain-Colonel W. S. Bean, of Christchureh. Ten members of the Suva Rifle Association (Legion of Frontiersmen) and 14 seamen of H.M. survey ship Sealark, who joined the expeditionary force at Suva for special duties, comprised the balance of the total number . The Xew Zealanders who have returned were selected by t>.9 company commanders, and before .their departure from Apia the detachment was addressed by one of the officers, who assured them that only "hard luck" was responsible for their (selection. The Auckland.men were paid off on Saturday, and in the evening the Monowai proceeded south with the Wellington men. The Legion of Frontiersmen have offered tlteir services, and hope to be attached to the Auckland contingent of ths main expeditionary force.

i The health of the men who returned 1 was reported to be good, and though a i number of them wore classed as "medically unfit," it was explained that no one was suffering from any serious illness. Few of them expressed regret at their early return, but the feeling common to all seemed to be one of satisfaction at the early prospect of reaching their homes again. Having expected resistance to the landing of the force, the men consider the capture of Samoa "a very tame affair," and as their duties have been arduous they have suffered a good deal from tropical heat. The perennial complaint 'about the small allowance of food was renewed by these men, their period of service having been too short to remove the recollections of three meals a day "to which .they are accustomed. Xo pay has been received since the men joined the force, I and having spent any cash they had with j'tlem, tho men were unable to procure j tobacco recently, and most of them declared that lack of smoking requisites ' was the only real, hardship they had experienced. In this connection several of the men said they had not reecived any chare *A the pipe* and tchacco presented ' to the force, which they understood had ; not been opened wlien they left Apia. : Accounts have already been published I of the capture and occupation of Samoa, j the narratives describing these events having been brought hack by the Moeraki, which reached Wellington last Monday.

The Monowai sailed for Auckland early on September 0 (Samoan time), five days after the Moeraki's departure. According to account* given by the Monowai's draft, the people of Samoa have accepted the sovereignty of Ureas Britain very quietly, and the week passed without any serious disturbing incident. Thi military precautions against any attempts to challenge Dritish possession have been completed. Entrenchments, have been made around the town of Apia, and the force lias been moved from its temporary quarters in buildings to a cjimp on Apia racecourse. As Colonel 15. Logan now occupies the position of military administrator, I.ieut.(Joloncl Fulton has been appointed to the command of the garrison forces. Shortly after the flag was hoisted, the six warships which were assembled to protect the landing of the force, all left Apia, and no warships were seen from that time or during the voyage to Auckland. Though the island was secured without opposition, the force has been in continuous expectation of an attack at all times. They have carried the full equipment of active service, and have always had their rilles and ammunition ready for instant use. On two occasions the 'whole force has been roused in the early morning hours. The men did not learn the reason for the first alarm. The second was not without an amusing aspect. Shortly after 2 a.m. on September 4 the alarm was again given, and the whole force paraded. It was learned that a vessel had been observed nproaehing the harbor, and the men waited for some time, expecting to hear that one of the German cruisers had arrived. Then it was ascertained that the vessel was only the Monowai reluming from Suva with supplies.

Several thousand Chinese coolies are emaloyed in the plantations, and they are considered by the men to be the ur.lv serious internal trouble requiring the'attention of the administration. Au established antagonism between the l ntives of Samoa and the Chinese appears to be a disturbing influence., (In several occasions small forces have been detailed to suppress rioting bv the Chinese, and a rilie shot into the air lias so far been found an etlectivi means of dispersing the coolies. A <oolic who entered the military lines one night and refused to halt at the scnt'y challenge was sumnntrily shot. « \ detachment of Auckland men, under Captain Xeely, was entrusted with tinduty of securing the wireless station, due of them returned on Saturday, lie. -tatcd th.it three Cernums were, found ;.t the station, and they were arrested and k"pt in a guard room for several davs About a dozen Mauser rifles were al-o secured. The apparatus had beon | disabled bv the removal of parts and the confusion of connections, tapped stieks of dynamite were found among tiie machiicrv and about the station, but all the explosive was removed without mishap. A supplementary equipment whs taken by the expedition but from th» fact that-the Monowai did no. -end anv advice of her return, tne men presume' that the station had not then been restored to working ord'.T.

i. o-atherm;-' of natives in the native villaa.: of Mulinmi was addressed on the the morning of September 1 by Ulone Lcuan, wliu win ac™nipani.>d In- U.iet lus'tire Dr. rx-liulH>i-t. In the eours,- oi : ,„ impressive spewb. Colonel U-pu. mrormed th-j natives that the tion would berried mi as in tiw past. ■\n account ot'Uhc o.riipation of Samoa bv the r.ritiili forces was Riven by the Sa'moan Times in its issue ot Septeni- !„,,•-,. It rtiit-M-lliat -when lour columns of smoke vv;ere observed on the horizon shortlv after daybreak on Aaß-u-t 29 the first idea »as that the M's-m-U w-re the tt-liarnlmrst, Cnciscnaii, ■ SiAri! and Tilania. but as soon as ;l »-:,s observed that there were more than four vessels visible it was known that ..ither a liritisl. or a Japanese squadron was approaching. Soon the \1 >itc 1.',,„ .',,„ was visible. showing that the sqiw; - ! n m was British. The (iovernment will I l„. earried on as hitherto. Many of tho former officials are. retaining their positions. In the hands of Colonel Logan,

aB head of the complex machinery which governs these islands, success is highly probable." Regarding the administration, the journal remarks: "Miks away from the actual seat of warfare we are lucky to be under the rule of Colonel Logan. Every inhabitant of these islands must appreciate his urbane control."