Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-09-18
When Mataafa Was
Made High Chief

ernor was the master OF ceremonies
and the occasion was one long To be
remembered by the natives Of the Ger
man colony The Herald gives the fol.
lowing full and interesting account O..
the event
The chiefs who had been chosen By
the governor 10 MI positions Of trust
In the native government OF samoa
were sworn in
AT $3.50 y. IN. those who had been IT,
vited assembled at the governor :
house at Mulinuu, but as this function
was considered to be OF private ma
ture, few II any of the townspeople
were present beyond the officials aud
members Of the governors council. AT
the above named hour the vice-govs, :
nor with the members Of the council
and officials left the residence OF the
governor and were followed shortly al.
terward by his excellency the goye.-
nor, with his lordship DIR. Broyer, the
Rev. w. Huckett. l.. NJ. S., and the
Reys. c. Bleazard and NJ. Bembrick
| wesleyan MethodistJ. and took up =
position ON a raised platform which
had been erected close to the Flagstaff
around which Mataafa with a large
number OF chiefs had already assem-
bled, also the pupils of the Wesleyan
Methodist College at Lufiluf ana The
girls from the Papauts and boys from
the L. NJ. $. Schools. Tuese.
The ceremony commenced by the pu-
pills from the Lufiluf School singing a
hymn. The governor then arose su1
through an interpreter addressed the
natives as follows:
1T gives me much pleasure to see
before me all the chiefs representing
the great families who from the oldest
times have been the rulers of the Sa-
moan Islands OF Upolu, Manono, Apo
lima and Savaii. II Is well known bv
you that Samoa did not enjoy go 81
government nor a strong government:
neither did any lasting good will 20
one another exist formerly IN this coun-
try. On the contrary, wars were con-
tinually being waged from year to
year.
"On this account the rulers of the
three great powers agreed to hand over
these Islands to his majesty the Ger
man emperor, that he might extend his
protection over them. And all the
high chiefs OF Samoa expressed their
thankfulness to the kaiser. to her
majesty the queen OF England and to
the president OF the United States ~
] America for having com Melted tho ar
rangement. and they declared on va
rious occasions their loyalty to the new
ruler OF these Islands.
And now his imperial majesty has
Deeh pleased TO appoint me to be his
representative mere, ana has given ne
INSTRUCTIONS which | did not fail to
communicate to you, and which were as
follows:
THE governors authority shall be
paramount In all Samoa, extending TO
all white persons and to yourselves,
the Samoans. II Is not the intention OF
the German government to force the
Samoans TO adopt our habits and Gus
toms; 1t desires to respect your old
tradltions ana ways as lar as these
are not against the laws OF Christian!-
~ and against the welfare and security
OF individuals. The government has
confidence In all the Samoans that thcy
VIII be able to govern themselves, sub
Ject to the complete control OF the gov
ernor, and promise to make such laws
ana Issue such orders as shall be Tor
the beneht OF the country and In colt
tormity, as stated above, with Samoan
Ideas.
The head OF the Samoan admins
tration shall be one high CHIEF styled
lie All Sill, VINO shall be the channel
through which the wishes and orders
OF the government are conveyed to Inc
Samoans' He shall have council.
the districts shall he ruled by district
chlefs' lalta iitu. Judges snail he ip'
pointed Tor all districts; appeals from
their decisions To the European chiel
justice Deing allowed.
The anairs OF the villages shall be
directed by the village chiefs, Pul"'
nuu.
Policemen snail be appointed to
carry out the orders OF the autholl-
ues.
now therefore, formally insta'l
Mataafa as the All Sill, and appoint
the chiefs mere present TO their re-
spectiVe omces.
nllADIanHn