AN UNGRATEFUL SAMOAN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8, 22 February 1900, Page 10

AN UNGRATEFUL SAMOA N.

Malii:t(iv Taxd of Samoa is very ungrateful for what his bf en done for him and his people by the missionaries. In a letter by him in the London Time*, of January 4, he says the position of S.iuioa is a gross violatiou ot the treaties, and also a crime against the law of nations only equalled by the dismemberment of Poland, Denmark, and France. He thinks, if it is for the Great Powers to promote wars and annexations and distract the minds of the people, the Hague Conference was the greatest farce of the century. The writer also asserts that the civilisation in the South Sea", Africa, and elsewhere is inferior to the. primitive state of the countries stolen, leading to war through breach of faith on the part of the Government officials and to the decimation of the people by contagious diseases and spirituous liquors. He continues : — ' Missionaries who graced our country with their holy and unholy presence introduced the same religious influences and hatreds against each other which pertained at the hour in civilised States. The missionanes live in palatial concrete houses, with all the luxuries the countries can afford, and charge us for Bibles and Prayer Books, which we understand are sent us as a tree offering.' Malietoa further charges the missionaries with extracting all the money possible from them, in return for which they receive a Bible and Prayer Book. A Wesleyan inissiouaiy is charged with collecting £27,000 pounds at a single meeting at Tonga, adding, • Missionaries aroused a great spirit ot emulation by telling the natives the largest giver would be the most acceptaole in the sight of God, and thus reversing the spirit of the widow's mite,'