The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1899.

Waikato Argus, Volume VI, Issue 384, 19 January 1899, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1899.

The tripartite control of Samoa, with two rival Kings thrown in, as elements of discord, has resulted in a •ivil war. Chief Justice Chambers, who is an American, has recently decided that Malietoa Tauu is entitled to the throne, and not Mataafa. The English and American Consuls agree with the Judge's decision, but the German Consul desired that Mataafa should occupy the throne, and he appears by his conduct to have been the principal cause of the fight. It is a curious circumstance that, in any case which involves dealings with territory outside the Fatherland, Germany invariably gets embroiled either with the native populations or some other European Power. The cause of this is, no doubt, that, wherever she can get her foot in, she schemes and works to get the trade exclusively for her own merchants. It is a most unfortunate circumstance that past events led to the three Powers agreeing to share the responsibility of keeping the King, in name only, on the light track. Neither nation was willing that either of the others should annex the islands, and a puppet in the shape of a King became a necessity. When this arrangement was made England had, and still has, a preponderance of interests involved as compared with thoso of America and Germany combined, she therefore has the greatest right to guide the destinies of the people. If control were placed in her hands she would, as is her invariable custom, welcome all people regardless nationality to equal privileges with her own. This much is clear the

triple control is intolerable, and is always liable to lead to anarchy and bloodshed. Germany is unfitted for the position, on the grounds stated above, and the United States has had little or no experience in matters appertaining to colonisation, and, at preeent, has quite sufficient ulterior matters to deal with in Cuba and the Philippines. The American Government would not be likely to make objection if the islands were placed under the control of Britain and Germany, if She does not desire to acquire an unfair advantage, can have no reason to dissent. The reason of the triple control is that the action of Germany compelled the other two Powers to combine to ke9p her in check. It appears to us that there is only one reasonable solution of the difficulty, and that is to hand the islands over to British control—all would then enjoy equal rights and the interests of the natives would be conserved.