The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1889. THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1839, 12 January 1889, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1889. THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

Thb Samoan question is once more m evidence. Its history is somewhat interesting, as it denotes the kind of civilization the white man has taken to that country. Samoa is the name given to a group of nine islands situated between here and San Francisco. It has a population of about 40,000 people, and the natives ! are said to be the finest of all Polynesians. The country is extremely fertile, and if properly governed it would be one of the finest in the world. Great disturbances were caused there some ten years ago, on account of the conduct of 001. Steinberger—an American, This led to a joint protectorate by England, Germany, and America over the islands, and an agreement was drawn up, giving the three powers equal rights and privileges in the country. Previous to this the country was governed by a King and Parliament of hereditary chiefs, but under the new order of things a new constitution was drawn up, and the country was given more popular representation. From the accounts which has reached us it would appear that from that date the German residents in the country have been scheming to secure supremacy, and that they have succeeded. King Malietoa, the then ruling monarch, showed greater preference for England, and forwarded a petition praying for the annexation of Samoa to New Zealand. An Act to enable the annexation to take place was passed, on the motion of Sir George Grey, and in January, 1885, the New Zealand Government showed some inclination to carry the proposal to a final issue. Steam was got up in the Hinemoa, and two of the New Zealand Ministers were about starting in her for Samoa when news came that England and Germany had satisfactorily settled the question. It would appear, however, that the settlement has been a very one-sided affair. Scarcely had this arrangement been made than we received news that the Germans were conspiring against the King, and urging a rival chief to go to war with him. The result was that through the machinations of the Germans the rival chief was placed on the throne, and King Malietoa arrested and placed on board' a German man-of-war and taken to Germany. This has not concluded the trouble, for according to the most recent accounts the friends of Malietoa have deposed the usurper, and placed on the throne a chief of their party and given him the name of Malietoa. They expect, it is said, their lawful monarch to return soon, and the present occupant of the Eoyal office is only keeping the place warm for him until he arrives. And now the Germans complain that the Americans are the cause of the recent quarrel by supplying arms to tbe followers of King Malietoa. This is exactly what the Germans were accused of doing a couple of years ago. They found that King Malietoa was too favorable to England—that, in fact, he desired to place himself and his people under English protection and they conspired against him till they succeeded in his overthrow. If the Americans have paid them in their own coin they have very little room for complaint, and it is more than likely that they have gone to the wrong place for satisfaction. Germany is at present the bully of Europe, and has completely cowed England in this Samoan affair. If it had been a weak power that treated Malietoa —after having sought protection from Great Britain —in the same way that Germany has treated him, the great paw of the British lion would have come down on it long ago. But it was not a weak power; it was the the bully of Europe, and the British lion was wise enough to let it have its own way. But, though America has never shown any disposition for entering into quarrels with foreign nations, there can be no doubt that she is in a position to do so if required, and that Germany would find her match in her. By all accounts Germany is the cause of all the trouble in Samoa. King Malietoa had

the reputation of being a generous and a good monarch, who had the good of his people thoroughly at heart. The Germans caused hie downfall and his exile from the country, and thus they certainly broke the agreement arrived at with the other Powers. If the Americans should now take the matter in hand, and insist on the Germans adhering to the strict letter of the agreement, it would be very much to their credit. At any rate, we are bound to hear more about it, and it may yet lead to complications little dreamt of at present. [Since the above was in type we have been handed the letter which appears elsewhere. It will bo seen from it that the Germans are behaving disgracefully, and that England and America are allowing such things to happen is a disgrace to them].