NEW GOVERNOR OF FIJI.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1499, 23 July 1912, Page 9

NEW GOVERNOR OF FIJI.

PIT! E. R. SWT.ET-ESCOTT. The new Governor of Fiji and nigh Commissioner in the. Pacific, Sir Ernest Bickham Sweot-Eseott, who is succeeding Sir Francis Henry May, arrived in Sydney on hi* way to Fiji by the It.M.S. Malojo. Altogether the new Governor has had ,')1 years' experience in the Colonial Office, nic-'t of his appointments being impartant outposts of the British Empire. He is the youngest son of the late Hav SweetEscott, of Baliol College, Oxford. In 16S1 he was appointed classical professor of the Royal College, Mauritius,' where he remained for 11 years. During this time lie also acted as Colonhl Secretary. .His next appointment was as Colonial Secretary in British Honduras, and later on as Governor.- After this he was associated for two years with the Colonial Office, under Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, when ho was appointed Ail-inini<tratcr at Seychelles, and later on acting as Governor. lie spent i\ years in this position and two years in British Honduras. Previous to his present appointment he was Governor of th* Leeward Islands, West Indies. 'Sir Bickham wns married, in 1881 to Mary, daughter of Mr. Thomas "Winfield Hunt, of the East India Company's service, and ho has three sons and one daughter. . " ' His Excellency stated that when he ae cepted office-in. the Leeward Islands they were in a. low financial position, but now, through tho operation of the Brussels Convention, factories were established in Antigua, St. Kitts, and the cotton and fruit industries had been placed on a sound basis. That meant a great deal, to thoss islands. The last important measure which had been adapted was o. reciprocity arrangement with Canada for a period of ten years, and he thought a great deal of b?nsfit would Tcsult from it. It was another link in the Empire, and he would be gb.d to hear of a similar neTcomcnt between Australia and Fiji, and Canada and Anstnlia. He was anxious to develop Fiji along these lines as far as pos.-ible, so that the good feeling, which he understood existed in all tho islands coming under his supervision, would be kepi alive. In view of his Ion?, experience of the natives in Mauritius and British Honduras ho did not anticipate any trouble in his new sphere of duty.