The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-02-07
FEIR ANOTHER
LAVA OUTBREAK


DR.. solf. for the past seven or eight
years Governor of German Samoa, was
a through passenger yesterday on the
Aorangi He is on his way to Berlin
for a conference there with the Colo
NAL Office in regard to Samoan mat
tiers. He expects to return through
here in June.
While in Honolulu DR.. Solf was en-
tertained by the Imperial German Con-
sui. William Pfotenhauer. Consul Pfo-
tenhauer had the Governor as his
guest at luncheon at the Pacific Club.
From there they wers in an automo-
bile to call on Governor Frear.
Governor Solf has been in Honolulu
number of times and has made many
acquaintance here. He is an exceed
ingly pleasant and interesting man,
and is enthusiastic about Samoa and
things Samoan.
yes, the volcano on the Island of
Savaii is still active" he said when
asked about the matter yesterday. 1T
has destroyed one of the finest dis
tricts on that island. No lives have
been lost; the natives behaved admira-
II -
of the lava for reference to the gov
eminent. The lava is now running
into the sea, and hence is doing no
harm, and that is good thing. But
we are very much afraid that there
will be another outbreak somewhere
else on the island and we do not know
what damage that will do. The gov
eminent sent a scientist, a specialist
in volcanoes, to make a report on this,
and he expressed the opinion that
whenever the present vent became
stopped from any cause, there would
probably be another outbreak.
Samoa is prospecting. The introduce
ton of Chinese coolies. which began
about four years ago, has now pro-
ceeded to the extent that we have
eleven or twelve hundred of them
there. The Chinese Government has
established consular office there, and
this has given great satisfaction. We
are diversifying our industries. Cacao
has now become well-established. We
export a great deal of it. For the
past two years the growth of rubber
has received a great deal of attention
1t is still in the experimental stage
There are two companies, one German
and the other an English company,
that are going into rubber planting
very extensively.
But copra is still our staple produc-
ton, and is increasing very rapidly.
A law was recently passed forbidding
the making of copra out of any but
the fallen nuts. In the past the ma
ives have climbed the trees and
picked the nuts. The result has been
hat the nuts were largely picked inn
nature. From this it happened not
,nly that not as much copra was pro-
iuced. but that it's quality was not as
rood and the price received was there
ore not as large as it would otherwise
lave been. 1t is expected that this
lew ordinance forbidding the making
If copra except from fallen nuts will
learly double the revenue derived from
he industry.
There is a law, and has been for
ome years, requiring the natives TO
liant so many new cocoanuts each
ear. We are beginning to feel the
'enefit of this now, and the copra
rop will be greatly increased from
his source.
THE Samoans are very much like
our natives here. My effort has been .
o protect them from the baneful eff
ects which contact with the whites so
ften irfiict
II shall be through here again in
une. During my absence DR..
chultze, the Chief Justice, is the Act
lg Governor