Heinrich Neffgen was Government Interpreter in Samoa in 1916. At that time, Samoa was under New Zealand military occupation.

The papers comprise two documents:

1. An English translation of a report on Samoa by Dr W.H. Solf, the first Governor of German Samoa. The report contains general notes, notes on the Protestant and Roman Catholic missions, and notes on the advisability of not attempting to colonise Samoa with small people from Germany. The report was written for the Imperial Colonial Office in Berlin, but, according to a note by Neffgen, it was not forwarded, as a result of an order dated November 21, 1907
2. Six Samoan sketches by Neffgen entitled: 1. The Samoan race; 2. Fa'asamoa; 3. The Prescriptive Law of the Samoans; 4. On invectives - Upu Palauvale; 5. Samoan High Titles and the Distribution of Fine Mats; 6. On Aitus.