FIJI.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2741, 29 November 1871, Page 2

FIJI.

THE FIJI MASSACRE. (From th’, Fiji Timet, Nov. 4.) A painful sensaiiou was created yesterday morning upon the beach at the rumour that Mr T. Warburton, merchant, in this town ; Messrs Kington, Robson, and Whittaker, planters of Tariuni; and Mr Owen, master of the Meva cutter, and a Fijian, had been murdered on board that craft on Wednesday night. On making inquiry we find that there is too much proof of the bloody tragedy for us to doubt its truth. From Mr Manton, who brought intelligence, we learn the following particulars, all that ri at present known of the details: —When at his plantation on Angau, on Wednesday evening last, at about 8 o’clock, a native came over and reported that five white men had been murdered on board a cutter that evening. He gave the particulars as follows : —t he white people were at supper iu the cabin, when a Solomon Islander came aft and asked at the cabin door that he aud his comrades might have their supper too, as they were very hungry. One of the white men promised that he would see that they were well fed, and was coming on deck to carry out his promise, when ho was immediately tomahawked. Another sprang on to the deck, but only to share the same f do ; aud the other three men seized mu kets, aud also rushed up from the cabin. Before they had time to look round them, two more were tomahawked, and the third one leaped overboard. During the time this was enacted one of the Fijimen who was at the galley forward was also tomahawked and the other jumped overboard. The man and he swam together for a time, but the white man was a bad swimmer, and offered the Fijian £lO to help him to the shore. This the Fijian refused to do, as he was afraid the poor fellow would drown him. Soon after this the unfortunate man sank, and the native succeeded iu reaching land, when the information was at once carried to Mr Manton, who lost no time in bringing it on to Levuka.”

It were impossible to describe the feelings of the pooplg ip Levuka as soon as the painful intelligence spread. The best manifestation of it was the readiness with which they came forward to aid the Government in the pursuit of the bloodthirsty wretches who had perpetrated the foul deed. Within an hour alter the bugle had sounded the “ assembly,” above a hundred men presented themselves, all anxious to aid in the pursuit. A force of 36 was at once chosen, and drafted into four squads of eight men, and one officer to each, which were put on board-at once, and despatched to sea. The vessels were—Pomona, cutter, about six tons; Xariffa, cutter, of 25 tons ; Jubilee, mission Jljljooner, of 40 tons; and Rate Grant, schooner, of about 40 tons j each vessel having a force of • niiie rank and file, fully armed, and the whole expedition being under command of Captain ArmstrOngj R.N, From the weather wo have had during the last few days, it is thought that the Meva cannot possibly be far away, there not bting any one on board her who understands either the place or the haudling of a vessel. On Thursday, there were very light uorthlery airs and part of the day calms, and at night and all day yesterday southerly breezes. The vessels m pursuit are stocked with three weeks’ provisions, but it is confidently anticipated'that the wpptohes Will be caught long before that time 'will have elapsed. The Meva, cutter, is of about 10 tons, and left here on Tuesday last bound for Taviuni, having on board the unfortunate victims of this tragedy, and 40 Solomon Island labourers, only recently imported in the Lismore schooner.

rOLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FIJI. The following statement of the intended policy of the Fijian Government is extracted from a report in the Fiji Gazette of the 7th October of a speech made by Mr Weod, the Premier, to hi* constituents on the occasion ef his return (unopposed) as member of the Legislative Assembly for the united districts of Korotubo and Nananu It now remains for me to give you some idea of the policy of the Government, It will be that of free trade. In common with my colleagues I advocated free trade and free ports throughout the kingdom. The taxation which we intend to propose to meet the expenditure of the Government will be as far as possible “ direct," and that taxation will bo levied in such a manner as to make it easy of collection, as well as unoppressive. It is not our intention to levy upon any import, except it may be spirits. In short, our Custom House will be more for the purpose of obtaining statistics than raising a revenue. A Custom House wo mint have for the transaction of certain shipping business, but not to pursue that iniquitous, and, iu my opinion, ruinous system ox protection, so called, pursued in the colonies. We shall tax no article of necessity, and only those of luxury. In fact, I may say there will be no tariff. We propose to raise our revenue—first, by a land tax on that under cultivation, and by a lesser tax on that not under cultivation ; secondly, a property tax, which will affect the merchant and storekeeper, thirdly, a tax will be imposed on the publicans. We do not propose to tax imported labor, neither is it our intention to impose a polltax upon the European portion of ths population, though a poll-tax will be levied upon the native male population the women being exempt from taxation. To meet the expenses of the current year, the natives have, by a resolution of their own, in council at Bau, voluntary taxed themselves to the amount of two and a half dollars per head, which will he collected and paid into

the Treasury before of which the Vuni Valu will receive a certain sum for his privy purse. The form of Government proposed is that of the ‘ Provincial Couucil Government,’ as in existence in New Zealand, or something similar to the municipal or shire council Government of Victoria, but without much of the expense. The kingdom is or will be divided into thirteen provinces, each having a resident governor ; and each governor will have a private secretary, who will be the only salaried officer in the province. The governor of this province will bo the Rata Tui Rewa, i\atu lizekell. The place of his residence is not yet determined upon, but it will be in some central part of the province. The collection of the native revenue will be conducted by the governors of the respective provinces, and they will summon to thei provincial council- the native magistrates who may bo appointed to the various subdivisions of the province. A complete postal system will be at once instituted ; in fact, I may say that arrangements are now in progress to carry out a safe and regular mail service with as much expedition as is practicable, A simple form of judicature will be instituted, inexpensive, and suited to the requirements of the kingdom. The highest salaried officer under the Government will be the Chief Justice, and it will be the care of the Government to secure the services of an able and experienced lawyer.”