Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 10.pdf/555

 516

tion, to natives and whites, amongst ivhom were many men whose very existence de pended upon disorder, and who occupied their whole time in fostering it. During this period the consuls of the three civilized na tions had some control over their country men, but not much; and there were in the place many whites of no nationality what ever, who considered themselves responsible to no one, and acted in full accordance with that idea. When Sir A. H. Gordon visited the islands, in 1879, as British Commissioner for the negotiation of a treaty with Samoa, he insti tuted a scheme of reform. Assisted by the American and German consuls, he induced the Samoan government to give over the jurisdiction of the town, harbor, and neighbor hood of Apia to a municipal board, consist ing of the three foreign representatives and three men whom they should select. This board was authorized to levy rates and issue licenses for the purpose of defraying the ex penses of the government of the municipal ity, police, etc., and for carrying on the necessary public works, such as jails, roads, and bridges. A magistrate was appointed, who within certain limits could impose fines and imprison for breaches of the regulations, and who had charge of the police and pris oners, superintending all public labor. At his court, always sitting, investigation of complaints and redress of wrongs could be attained by any and every one. To conclude these dry details let me men tion one of the restrictions passed by this municipal board, and show how some of the people got around it. It was forbidden under a heavy penalty to supply the natives with liquor. But the half-castes did not come under this law, so it was a common thing in the evening to see half-caste young women one after another coming out of the dancing dens when a sailor's ball was going on, with their mouths full of spirits which they would eject into the mouths of their black relations expectantly waiting outside.

An Englishman who visited Samoa in 1884, witnessed the following amusing inci dent. He turned in one day at the Court House, where a case was in course of trial. It was that of a native who had attempted to steal a pair of trousers, of which attempt the evidence of the woman charging him was quite sufficient to convict him; in fact he did not deny the charge. After receiving his sentence, he requested permission to ask a few questions of the magistrate. Said he, "You white men always tell us that it is wrong to fight." "Yes," said the magistrate. "And whether right or wrong, to fight is against the law and punishable by the mag istrate?" "Yes." "If one fights and the other does not, the one who fights is convicted of assault and punished?" "Yes, if so proved." "Then," exultingly burst out the injured man, " punish that woman, for when I was running off with the trousers, she punched me in the back two or three times, and I did not hit her." He went off to be locked up, bewailing the inconsistency of the white man's law. It is not surprising that the Samoans with their simple methods of determining guilt, should have found it very hard to under stand our complicated judicial machinery. On one occasion in trying to conform with unfamiliar methods, they made some very amusing blunders. The case occurred in 1 882 or thereabouts, and was this. A young Samoan killed a black boy who was working on a German plantation, and the German consul, hearing of the matter, made the King and government distinctly aware that Ger many would require rigorous justice done. Having a desire not to offend that power, the parliament of faipule complied with the demand and immediately passed sentence of death upon the murderer. This, however, did not satisfy the consul. He again wrote