The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-04-06
UNEASY SAMDA.

udOC VI IL Cbluul EOVu
We had quite a gala day on the
9TH INST, when a man named Mar
tin, calling himself Judge for the
Samoan Government, with one
twelfth gross of his myrmidons,
undertook to sell out the business of
a French liquor dealer to pay taxes
illegally imposed. OF course, a
large crowd assembled in expecta-
ton of great bargains in liquors,
and the publican had smile on his
face the size of a 4-dollar meat plat
ter. The auctioneer mounted u box
and commenced the sale, when one
of the company asked by what law
of the new Samoan Government he
was about to sell the Frenchman's
goods.
The auctioneer, an Englishman,
called the man at head of the police
force to one side, and after few
minutes talk, again mounted the
case and informed those present
that as there was no existing law
whereby a mans goods could be
sold for taxes, he had to decline
carrying on the sale. The crowd
went home and the Frenchman's
property was taken from beneath
the tricolor and carried to the Court
House of the rebels.
On the 18th inst, the Secretary
of the German Consulate held sale
of the goods taken from the mans
house. The auction, however, was
of short duration, and the first case
of liquor put up brought the amount
claimed for taxes. 1t was purchas-
ed by an American for $64.
The gentleman who was so grossly
assaulted by Martin has since trans
ferred his whole property to an
| American. He is a German, and
having had this little trouble at the
auction, was afraid they might seize
his property and sell him out,
The following letter indicates that
the trouble will be brought TO the
attention of the French Govern
ment
APIA, Samoa, Feb. IS, 1888.
Mr.. MARTIN MATAFELL-Sir:
acknowledge reception of your let.
ter of to-day, which | suppose to be
an answer to mine of the 18th inst.
and beg to inform you that it is
completely useless to communicate
any more with me, except through
the French Consul in Sydney, Oh
through my Government, which is
instructed and knows all about what
has happened lately, and which, be
sure of it, watches over my interests
and will know how to protect them.
w. j. LAFERRIERE.
A meeting at which vigorous re-
solutions were passed was held in
pursuance of the following public
notice:
"All persons who are interested
in the maintenance of peace ant
order and of the rights of the Euro
pean and American residents within
the municipality of Apia, are hereb,
requested to attend public meet
ing to be held in the Tivoli Hall a
s p. M, on Thursday evening, Feb
ruary 8, 1888. BY order of thu
Committee.
The following resolutions wer,
adopted at public meeting held a
Tivoli Hall on Thursday, Februar,
8, 1888:
Resolved, First-That this meet
ing protests against the illegal act
ion of the de tacto Samoan Govern
ment, in Selling and attempting tt
sell the goods of W. j. Laferriere
on Tuesday, the 7th day of Febru
airy, 1888, to pay taxes illegally ant
improperly imposed, and further
protests against the overbearing an,
aggressive conduct of Mr.. Martin
the representative of the said Gov
eminent, at the sale, and ais
against the auction of bMr. Laferri
ere's goods to the value of severa
hundred dollars, to satisfy pre-
tended claim of S63.
Second-That this meeting de
sires to express its sympathy wit
Mr.. Laferriere and considers that
would have been more HONORABLE
r course for the de facto Samoan Gov
ernment to have pursued had the
attempted to enforce the paymen
against some one who (refusing t
i pay taxes) was under the proteo
ton of a resident Consul, and i
this way would have made a ties
case satisfactory to all resident
here.
Third-That those present at thi
|. meeting pledge themselves to unit
for the purpose of resisting by a
+ lawful means the illegal demand
d and oppressive and despotic actio
IS of those persons who have Illegal
y seized the municipal property an
assumed to exercise ,jurisdictio
over European and American res
dents.
= Fourth-That those present
this meeting wish it to be clearl
und erstood that their action is d.
fensive and not aggressive, and thi
they purpose uniting together Il
the protection of the life and pro-
erty of any oppressed and ill-treate
person of any nationality within IL
;n;, 80 A,N;o oh