The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1885. THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1292, 20 January 1885, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1885. THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

The news that the Samoan difficulty has been amicably settled is comforting. It looked a few days ago rather unpleasant, but before commenting further on the question perhaps a brief review of its surroundings might give a clearer insight into what has been going on. The Samoan or Navigator Islands as they are sometimes called, lie on the way between New Zealand and San Francisco, but much nearer to this colony than to any other country. They consist of nine islands, with an aggregate area 1087 square miles and a population of between 30,000 and 40,000. I'he inhabitants are said to be the finest of the Polynesian race, and the trade done there is worth over £200,000 per annum. Perhaps some of our readers may remember that there was some disturbance in these islands six or seven years ago which, it was alleged, was fomented by Col. Steinberger an American, This led to America, England, and Germany entering into a joint protectorate over the islands in January 1879, and from that day to this the three Powers have enjoyed equal liberty there. The agreement with England is that the Government of Samoa shall " grant to no other sovereign or state any rights, privileges, authority or predominance in excess of such as are or may be accorded to Her Britannic Majesty." Then follow the privileges, immunities, etc., of .British subjects. The agreement with Germany is that " the subjects of both contracting parties shall enjoy in both countries the most perfect and perpetual protection of their lives and properties. Germans in Samoa nnd Hamoans in Germany shall be exempt from all war contributions, etc." The agreement with America is somewhat similar, and thus the three Powers appear to have equal rights there. Before this the people were governed by a Kin,* an I Parliament of hereditary chiefs, but a change was made. A new constitution was drawn up, under which the Legislature consisted of two C bombers, one called Tainiua and the other Faipule, and reduced the power of the King to administrative functions with ministers to advise him. In case of war Apia was to be regarded as neutral grounds because this is the capital town, aud it is here Europeans are mostly to be found. In the Legislature the three above-named Powers were represented, and if we remember rightly Mr Hant was Prime Minister there when Sir Arthur Gordon imprisoned him, and it was out of this the lawsuit of Hunt v. Sir Arthur Gordon, heard sometime ago in Wellington, arose. Dnder this arrangement things appear to bave gone on pretty smoothly, 6uch episodes as,

that of Mr Hunt's only occasionally varying the condition of things. The natives as a whole, however, appear not to have been altogether contented, and took a particular fancy for being annexed to New Zealand. With the view of facilitating this Sir G. (jJrey succeeded in passing through Parliament the Confederation and Annexation Act in 1883. This Act has not received the Royal assent —that is the Queen's signature—yet, and consequently it is useless, According to the Fiji Times about three months ago two German men-of-war arrived at Apia and the natives, feeling that they intended to annex Samoa, got up a petition to be annexed to England or New Zealand, and asked the New Zealand Government to urge the matter on the British Government. This reached the ears of the Germans and they forced the King to sign a document creating a German-ria.-noan State Council, tinder which the Government of the country would fail absolutely into the hands of the Germans. In this both the English and American powers arc completely ignored. According to the mail news Prince Bismarck has some grievance against England for not offering proper protection to German subjects in Africa, and it is this which has led him to develope such a taste for founding colonies lately. Now this appears to us a very lame excuse. It is more likely that Prince Bismarck had in his eye the extension of the dominion of Germany. If he had not, what brought the men-of-war to Apia ? and why should the German Consul undertake such serious work as altering the existing agreements in which America and England were concerned ? In their petition to t)ie Queen the Natives say that they are greatly afraid of being annexed by Germany, no doubt, because frequent efforts have been made by the German Consul to get them to agree to it. Putting all the facts together there appears to us no doubt but that the German Government connived at annexing Samoa in violation of existing treaties, and that they have only withdrawn through having been remonstrated with by England. The action of Germany thus violates the treaty in existence between herself and England and America, and is sufficient to justify England in stepping in now and annexing Samoa. The Natives are most anxious that this should bo done, to escape Germany and possibly America, and wo see no reason why their prayer should not be acceded to. A. 3 regards the action taken by our own Government in this matter, we do know whether to approve or disapprove of it. So far as they went their action amounted to a bit of burlesque ca'culated to render them liable to be laughed at and nothing more. It is asserted that they never contemplated taking any serious steps, and they got up the Hinemoa more as a protest against Earl Derby's procrastination than anything else. If this is ail they intended doing they were quite justified in what they did, for there can be no doubt but that Earl Derby wants waking up. If, on the other hand, they had any intention of annexing Samoa on their own account, it would have been an ill-advised step undr-r existing circumstances and one likely to lead to serious complications. " All's well that ends well," Our telegrams state that England and Germany have settled the matter amicably, and that is comforting, but how they have been able to do so is difficult to understand. By the agreement signed between the King of Samoa and the German Consul about three months ago Germany has practically annexed Samoa against the will of the people, Is England going to allow this agreement, forced from the King, to stand good while the whole population is praying for annexation irith New Zealand. If she does her action cannot be looked upon as otherwise than humiliating, but we shall not discuss the subject fnrther until the details of the new arrangements have I reached us.