Land "Titles”

An Incident in Samoa

By ••Old-Timer'•

YOUR Papeete correspondent brought to light an interesting subject, in dealing with “Land Titles in French Oceania”, in the June ‘‘P.I.M.”.

But the same conditions apply in other territories, and I am reminded of an American druggist who some years ago arrived in Suva.

Becoming enamoured of a Samoan belle of chiefly rank, he decided to set tle in Samoa and purchased a cow and calf, barbed wire, and household uten sils. etc., before embarking for Apia. On arrival in Apia he found the girl’s bro ther was willing to sell him a home lot for £lOO. He deposited his gear with Jack Gascoigne, and a start was made with a fence around the home lot.

But one night, soon after, an old fel low came along and ordered the Ame rican off. A conference was held with the brother, and the following day an other lot was pointed out. The same thing happened that night; and the

party proceeded to ponder things out.

A deadlock occurred, so the American sued the brother for the return of the £lOO paid in. This resulted in the bro ther being gaoled: but the money was never refunded, and the American re turned to the U.S.A.. cherishing fierce opinions about Islands land laws.

If your Apia correspondent were to check up on this incident he would find that the brother who was gaoled was a notable chief, who died in tragic cir cumstances in 1928. He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment in connec tion with that land incident, and he served the sentence in New Zealand.