New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-26

| nc iaoher was thought to have Deen
negngeht OF MS duties in watching over the woman.
for 'he recovery of the woman by the native
magistrate the father was fined $40. and the
| young man she away with $40. the fines hav-
ing the effect to divorce her. not from her hus-
band, but from the young man with whom she
had eloped In conversation with a trader at
I1avea The rumor was repeated that Fogaloa was
| rebuilding its old fort This Village did not
"talolo," nor did 1t send down representatives to
the new Government. The villagers declined to
collect or to pay the taxes or to recognize Male
tOa. There is an old fort on the top of the noun.
tain, which they say they will rebuild. and if
men-of-war come up TO punish them they will go
up and take possession, evidently thinking the
| ships could not shell them. In native warfare it
| is strong position, and a few men can hold It,
There are also plenty Of wild yams growing on the
mountains
| Anyway say they, @we can die but once
and they utterly refuse to support the Government
It was reported at Tiavea that the King had sent
up an order for all natives to pay their debts to
foreigners as soon possible or else be subject 10
heavy fine In some parts of the islands, espe-
cialy Savaii, the natives are heavily in debt and
| the crops are ell mortgaged; but the east end of
! Upolu is free from such incumbrance. In talking
with some Of the head men Of Tiavea found that
they had the impression that America wanted
Mataafa for King. They spoke of the dssatisfac-
ton Of the whites with the present Government,
and expressed the feeling that the three Powers
! do not care whether it stands or not For that
reason, they say, the men-of-war are kept away
from Samoa TO see If the country can govern itself
| If not, then some one Of the Powers will step in
and take the control entirely This was told me
| by one of the tulafales When he received
his information he would not say, but it is shrewd-
L. 81 opoH
talking with these people. Here it was that the
| report first reached me that Samusu-the home of
Mataafa-and Lepa, large district on che south
east coast together with Fogaloa, Manono and
part of Saven were getting ready TO go to Apia
and take Mataafa down to Malie, form Govern
ment, and pay the taxes TO him. This report was
confirmed by gentleman one day later. He said
that the people of Samusu had planted vans
portion of his land some time before, and that the
day before / saw him they had TO his place
and dug them up. telling him they were going,
two days later TO join others in escorting Mataafa
| to Malie TO form Government. This does not
look as if Mataafa went to live at Alale to pre-
serve the peace Of Samoa as he declared. 1t is
suspected that the French priests are at the bot
tom of the Mataafa movement, and are all the
time squirting him on. There are many foreigners
in Samoa who would like to see Mataafa King, but
are afraid of the influence of the priests. The
| Catholic Church would be the power behind the
| throne for Mataafa is o devout member of the
Church.
Repeated conversations with white men in
different parts of Upalu, reveal the fact that
neither whites or natives have any respect for or
confidence in the stability of the present Govern
ment or rather attempt at government The
natives are dissatisfied and grumble at the taxa
| ton, which falls unequally on some families.
| The whites are plundered and robbed, and no
redress given and yet they say they are taxed
to support a Government that cannot protect
them Case after case can be cited of foreigners
owning lands, in tracts of varying sizes, from
which no products are ever obtained. The land
is actually vaueless, for the natives keep it
stripped Breadfruit, bananas and cocoanuts
are stolen before they ripe. Taro and vans
are dug up. Now, while this is nothing new III
the history of Samoa, yet people have right
| to expect some improvement III the condition OF
| affairs under the new Administration, backed Dy
the great Powers. As matter OF TACT, no satls,
faction can be obtained for these Ouuages, ana
| where offender is occasionally brought TO trial.
| the fines, il paid, often squandered among
the native officials. In the matter of the admin
istration of law and justice, the native magistrates
| are most unjust and harsh in their treatment OF
| criminals beneath them in rank, and lax IN en-
| forcing punishment Of those who are above them
In one part Of Apia the native magistrate Is com
| planned of on account of his sitting down and
playing cards and drinking ava with MS prisoners.
! in MANY of the villages around the island, about
all the magintrates and faipule do is 10 SIT and
! gossip and drink ava, no business OF any I'M
J portance being done. Prisoners Oh the roads al
| work are allowed TO chat and laugh among them
| selves. Their wives and friends come and visit
them, bringing baskets OF food, OF which all slt
down and partalze.
Recently in Savan young boat-builder made
some repairs on boat belonging TO native
amounting to Sc. The native came with his
friends, presented 50 part payment, aud prom
ised 10 pay the balance later. This was not
satisfactory 70 the boat-builder, but in spite OF
all protests the natives took the boat and de-
parted The was brought before lanai,
one of the great men of Samoa, for tritl. The
boat-builder and the native were present 10 give
their testimony, but Lanati, sitting with his
back against post OF the house, was too sleepy
TO take any notice of the testimony. After being
nudged several times by those near him TO pre-
vent his falling asleep entirely, he lost his
patience at the Interruption Of his nap, and called
me enough / fine you both 81 each"
There is a powder magazine in one end OF
Apia, containing a quantity OF munitions OF war.
This is now guarded at night by number OF
1t is rumored that Dr. Michaelis, German Con
su-General at Zanzibar is to he appointed Consul
The Union Steamship Company Of New-Zealand
have taken years lease Of the Ruge estate, with
the option Of buying at The end of that time
1t is expected that their new steamer, which takes
| the place of the old Walnut, Will run from Anck-
land to Samoa via Tonga, then over 70 Tahiti
back 10 Tonga and Auckland. Another steamer
| will make the circuit Of Tonga, Samoa and FIJI
| The premises which the Union Company has
leased here in Apia are covered with large
twO-story building, used for offices and dwelling,
and a number Of warehouses. II is the only
practicable spot where a wharf can he run out
into deep water. AS the MON and Oceanic
companies are closely related In the matter OF
mail and passenger service, the transaction is re
garded as significant Of the intentions Of the San
Francisco steamers 10 make Apla port OF call In
the near future.
The Land Commission has been organized, and
the commissioners Issued their notice on May 80
that all claims TO land be presented within four
months from June l, 1891.
THE KAISER AND HIS CLOTHES.