Copyright : Museum für Völkerkunde , Hamburg ( Adolf Ohle Album ), photographer A . J . Tattersall , 9 July 1912
The main Apia hospital , reportedly built by Mr Stünzner , ( and shown above ), was officially opened on 9 December 1903 . It was a gift of wealthy merchant , Mr Gustav Kunst , who arrived in Samoa in 1901 . He had made his considerable fortune as a trader in Vladivostok and spent part of each year in Samoa , Hawaii and other locations . Kunst bought 11,000 acres around Apia , including the Vailima Estate which he purchased from the heirs of Robert Louis Stevenson . Vailima was reportedly in run down condition and he had it refurbished . Mr Kunst died in Hamburg in 1905 . Vailima was then purchased by the German Government for the use of the Governor .
The German Government charged a low level of fees for patients admitted to the hospital above , which was reserved for Europeans . Separate facilities for Samoans and Chinese were provided in other buildings on the large site .
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