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The Origins of International Rivalry in Samoa: 1845–1884

4. Convention Between Great Britain (Germany, the United States), and the King and Government of Samoa, for the Government of the Town and District of Apia — Preamble

4. Convention Between Great Britain (Germany, the United States), and the King and Government of Samoa, for the Government of the Town and District of Apia

Preamble.

1.Limits of municipal territory.
2.Such town and district shall be placed under the government of a Municipal Board, consisting of those foreign Consuls resident in Apia whose nations have entered into Treaty relations with Samoa. Representatives of every such nation, having a Consul in Samoa, shall, at a future period, be added to the said page 221Board, and shall be chosen in such manner and exercise such functions as may be provided by regulations to be hereafter agreed upon and published by the same Board.
3.The Municipal Board shall have power to make and enforce regulations and bye-laws with regard to police and good order, public works, sanitary regulations, the prevention of the sale and supply of spirituous liquors to Samoans and other islanders of the Pacific Ocean, and other similar matters, within the said district, and such regulations shall be binding upon all persons within the said district, and may be enforced by penalties not exceeding six months, or both fine and imprisonment not exceeding the before-mentioned penalties.
4.The Municipal Board of Apia may, for the purpose of defraying expenses incurred under the above Article, levy rates upon the occupiers of houses or lands within the district of Apia, not exceeding 5 per cent annually, on the annual assessed value of such premises as calculated on the presumed rental valuation thereof, or 1 per cent annually on the real value of such property.
5.All offences against the regulations of the Municipal Board by whomsoever committed, shall be tried by a magistrate to be appointed by the Board.
6.If a subject or citizen of any of the Contracting Parties in Apia be charged with an offence against the laws of his own country, he shall be tried according to the jurisdiction provided therefore by the legislation of the nation to which he belongs or according to the stipulations of the Treaty concluded between his nation and Samoa.
7.Every Samoan subject charged with a criminal offence within the limits of the district of Apia, other than an offence against the municipal regulations, shall be liable to trial by the magistrate appointed under the provisions of Article V, in conjunction with a Samoan magistrate.
8.The foregoing Articles shall in no way prejudice the territorial integrity of Samoa, and the Samoan flag shall be hoisted at such place of meeting of the Municipal Board as may be permanently adopted.
9.In case of civil war, the town and district of Apia, and the adjacent districts comprised between the boundaries of the town and district of Apia and Letogo, Tiapepe Pt., and Siusega, shall be considered as neutral territory, and the Municipal Board may frame and issue such regulations as may be con-page 222sidered necessary for the support and maintenance of such neutrality.
10.The present Convention shall be revised at the end of four years from its date, and if the internal state of Samoa at that time will happily admit thereof, without prejudice to the interests of foreign residents in Samoa, the powers conferred by the present Convention upon the Municipal Board of Apia shall cease and determine, and the District again pass under the control and authority of the Samoan Government, or such other authority as may be agreed upon between the Samoan Government and the High Contracting Parties.
11.[Agreement of German Representatives.]
12.[Agreement of United States Representatives.]
13.The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications exchanged at Apia within one year from the date thereof.

In witness whereof we have signed the same and affixed thereto our seals.

Done at Apia, this 2nd day of September, in the year of Our Lord, 1879.

Arthur Gordon.
Alfred P. Maudslay.
Malietoa Laupepa.
Saga le Auauna.
F. Mensing, Corvetten Capitan.
T. Weber, Municipal German Consul.
R. Chandler, Captain, United States Navy, Commanding U.S.S. Lackawanna.
Thomas Dawson.