“Faa-Samoa.”
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Rights of Children of Old-Time Unions.
From Our Own Correspondent,
Apia, Aug. 28.
A Court case concerning a land claim, which- was recently heard at the High Court of Samoa, disclosed some strange history and throws inter esting sidelights on the life of Old Samoa.
The Public Trustee representing the estate of the late Joseph Collins, of Mali’e, brought action against a number of descendants of Collins.
The evidence showed that Collins, who died intestate in 1920, had in the old times, before civilised government was established in Samoa, in the ’sixties, ’seventies and ’eighties of last century, lived with numerous Samoan women in “Faa- Samoa” marriages, not legalised by proper church blessings, and had had numerous children by all of them. The action was brought to determine his next of kin, and those entitled to his inheritance.
The case is of importance, as for the first time in Samoan history the right of inheritance of children of “Faa- Samoa” marriages is being inquired into.
The m.s. “Nairnbank” departed from Suva for Europe via Levuka, Tonga and Western Samoa on August 16. Nearly 800 tons of copra were shipped by the vessel.