Samoa

Unusual Crime in Samoa

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Jan. 25.

THE unprecedented increase in major criminal offences continues un abated.

The trial of the Samoan, Ete, for the shockingly brutal and premeditated mur der of the Chinese foreman of Lafi Plan tation, Yu Hoi, ended in the accused being sentenced to death. In another case, tried before Chief Judge Herd and assessors in January, a Samoan man, Eteuati, of Salim, Fagaloa, was found guilty of manslaughter, through the death of a fellow-villager and relation.

Kolose, whom he had killed by throwing a stone at him during a family squabble.

The accused was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, with hard labour.

In a third case, a Samoan, Tapusoa Ese, of Safotu, Savaii, killed a fellow-villager, Saua, with a bush-knife, owing to some family trouble. In a case reported from the South Coast of Upolu, at Falealili, a young Samoan woman killed her newly born twin babies and buried them on the beach, near the residence of her family.

Child murder was practically unheard of, in former times, among Samoans.

Offences against our liquor and curfew regulations are also frequent at the pre sent time. A Euronesian, Hans Walter, was convicted in Apia High Court of being in possession of distilling appara tus, under the Distillation Act, and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.

Two other Euronesians, Alfred Williams and Arthur Hannemann, with two Samoans, were convicted of the theft of a drum of gasoline, and sentenced to six, four and two months’ imprisonment respectively.

To replace the old one-way structure that has seen many years of service, a new bridge over the river at Lepea, Western Samoa, has been completed re cently by the Public Works Department.