SENSATIONAL, LAND CLAIM IN FIJI.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1366, 9 October 1886, Page 3

SENSATIONAL, LAND CLAIM IN FIJI.

Mr Chariwood. of Melbourne, has claimed a boat half the township of'Sava, Including the block on which the Government buildings stand- The circumstances are briefly these :—The commanders of United States war vessels hied Cabokau, the late king, £9OOO, and threatened to blow Ban out of the water if it was not paid by a given time. Cikobau had not £9OOO, so a company formed in Melboarne, ana called the Polynesian Company, paid it, receiving in return deeds of lands in various parts of the group worth, •ay, ab nt £9-00, among which was Suv». When the British fl g went up the Government refused to cc nowiedge the transaction and returned £9O 0 to certain of the shareholders ; but Messrs Jas M’Ewan and 00., with a quarter of a million at their back, held the greater port'on of Suva, and to save appeal to the Privy Council a delightfnl arrange ment.of • specially prne and confidential character was entered into between Sir Arthur Gordon and the firm. The upshot was that each is Slid to have taken half the ares. Suva was then declared the cap til. Now <~harlwood claims under the Polynesian cnnpany's title, and as the Crown is directly interested in the result, the matter was reml't-d from the Governor-ln-Couocil to the Supreme Court. Argument has been h-ard, and judgment is reserved.