Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 26.djvu/1550

GENERAL ACT—SAMOAN ISLANDS. JUNE 14, 1889.` 150] " Natives’ Advocate," who shall be a pointed by the Chief-Execw tive of Samoa the am·oval of the Chief Justice of Samoa. Each Commissioner s receive during his necessary term of , service, a compensation at the rate of three hundred dollars r month and his reasonable fare to and from Samoa. The reasonable and necessary ex uses of the Commission for taking evidence and making surveys fsiich expenses to be approved by the Chief Justice) shall a so be paid, one third by each 0 the Treat Powers. The compensation of the Natives’ Advocate shall be fixed and paid by the Samoan Government. Each Commissioner shall be gpverned b the provisions of this Act; and shall make and subscribe an oath before the Chief Justice that he will faithfully and impartially perform his duty as such Commissioner. - SECTION 3. It shall be the duty of this Commission, immediately Oemmisleu mgm upon their organization, to give public notice that all claims 011 the m, ’"°°°° pgrt of any foreigner to any title or interest in lands in Samoa must pzesented to them, with due description of such claim and all wri n evidence thereof, within four months from such notice for the purpose of examination and registration; and that all claims not so presented will be held invalid and forever barred; but the Chief Justice may allow a reasonable extension of time for the production of such evidence when satisfied that the claimant has after due dil- Erica been unable to produce the same within the period aforesaid. is notice shall be pu lished in Samoa in the German, English and Samoan Languages as directed by the Commission. The labours 0 the Commission shall be closed in two years, and sooner if practicable. SECTION 4. It shall bethe duty of the Commission to investigate Ii¤v¤¤¤¢¤¤¤n an all claims of foreigners to lan in Samoa, whether acquired from "p°'°‘ natives or from aliens, and to report to the Court in every case the character and description of the claim, the consideration paid the kind of title alleged to be conveyed, and all the circumstances affectin its validity. They shall especially report (a) Whether the sale or ispositon was made by the rightful owner or native entitled to make it. b) Whether it was for a sufficient consideration. c) The identification of the property affected by such sale or disposition. SECTION 5. The Commission whenever the case requires it shall compromises. endeavour to effect a just and ecgiitable compromise between litiglants. They shall also redport to the ourt whether the alleged title s ould be recognized an registered or rejected, in whole or in part, as the case may require. SECTION 6. All disputed claims to land in Samoa shall be reported mvisnulggld clnims w b the Commission to the Court, together with all the evidence "°’° °° °°“"‘ affecting their validity; and the Court shall make final decision thereon in writing, which shall be entered on its record. Undisputed claims and such as shall be decided valid by the unani· o¤¤nmmg0¤ or mi. mous voice of the Commission shall be confirmed by the Court in °"""°°d°"“"’· proper form in writing, and be entered of record. Sr:0*r1oN 7. The Court shall make provision fora complete registry of all valid titles to land in the Islands of Samoa whic are or may be owned by foreigners. SECTION 8. All lands acquired before the 28th day of August rams acqui;-eu 1879-being the date of the Anglo-Samoan Treaty-shall be held as }§§"° mh *“€“”· validly acquired, but without prejudice to rights of third parties, if purchased from Samoans in good faith, for a valuable consideration, m a re lar and customary manner. Ag dispute as to the fact or regufaliity of such sale shall be examin and determined by the Commission, subject to the revision and confirmation of the Court.