Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1901. SIR G.T.M. O'BRIEN’S CHARGES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 8 January 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1901. SIR G.T.M. O'BRIEN’S CHARGES.

The Governor of Fiji, if all that has been recently told, regarding him is true, is a gentleman the Imperial Government cannot too soon withdraw from the position he certainly in no way adorns. The Crown Colony of Fiji was ceded to the British by the Fijian Chiefs, 1874, and the Islands were formally annexed by Sir Hercules Robinson same year. Sir Arthur Gordon—now Lord Stanmore—was appointed first Governor in June 1875. The Governor who is appointed by the Crown is assisted by an Executive Council of three members. Laws are mads by a Legislative Council composed of six oflicial and a like number of unofficial members, the Governor being President. The present Governor, Sir George 'Jh.mas Michael O’Brien, is the gentleman wo have to deal with. He is not only Governor of Fiji, but High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, and draws an annual salary of L 2,510, and has associated with the Hon Sir Henry S. Berkeley as Chief Justice, drawing LOO), the Hon John Symonds Udal, AttorneyGeneral, with LSOO, and the Hon H. G. 0. Emberson, as Receiver-General with LGOO per annum. The groupe is composed of about 200 islands having a gross area of 7,451 square miles a about one-eight the size of the Middle Island of Now Zea'andThe total population is 121,798, of which 99,773 are native Fijians. The imports for last year were L 262,470, and exports L452,8G0. Such then is the Colony, and the Governor thereof, that cf late have come into prominence through the false accusations levelled against this colony by the Queen’s Representative in Fiji. Some time ago came the rather startling news that at a public function the Governor had seen fit to libel this colony; to declare that the Maoris had btNm robbed of their land, and that it way*,with a like object in view that New Zealand had proposed annexations the Fiji groupe. At the time

wo drew attention t) the mat'~r and declared that Mr St tdon was- the last roan in she colony tc submit f ' acb. a gross libel. We fi id tb ws made representations to tl : 'h Uovernment upon the matter, and demanded that the statpment be substantiated, or unreservedly withdrawn and apologised for. Writing to a resident of Suva upon the subiect Mr fieudon:—"l read the speech with surprise and amazement, and had not the after effects been so serious I should have been more amused than annoyed. Ido not think there is a precedent in the annals of our history for such a situation, or that it was possible to have conceived, or that it was reasonable to expect, that such an occurrence was within the bounds of possibility. Just imagine the Queen's representative in one colony taking to task the representatives or past of another colony and charging them with maladminis tratisn, where responsible Government obtains, in respect to their dealings with the aboriginal race of that colony, or questioning the action of the Parliament of a free colony in its desire to see responsible government given to a people who in a proper and constitutional way have asked for the same. The imputation and inference to be deduced, that underlying the movementto give Fiji self-goveanment, or confederation, or annexation, is to take the land from the Fijians, is ludicrous in the extreme I

do not think it is necessary for me to say anything further on this subject, for it is generally conceded throughout the civilised world that the treatment by the Parliaments and Governments of the aboriginal natives in New Zealand has been most humane, far reaching and satisfactory. We give them representation in Parliament, local self-government, administration of their own lands, special representation of the Maori race in the Cabinet and Executive Council, and I don't hesitate to say that they are given greater freedom and are better off in every respect than our - own flesh and blood—the Britishers who are now located in the Fiji Isiands. However, the matter cannot rest where it is. As far as the colony is concerned, there has been no reason given for the course that his excellency, your Governor, has taken. I deeply regret that occurrence, for I fear it will have a detrimental effect upon the British policy in the Pacific Islands. There is no question upon which the Polynesian or Papuan races are so sensitive as that of their lands, and I scarcely think that this view of the question could have been taken into consideration when the High Commissioner of the Pacific decided to bring the matter before the natives on the occasion of the opening of the hospital at Wainibohasi." But apparently Sir George Thomas Michael O'Brien not satisfied with his extraordinary utterance, proceeded further. At Sydney on Saturday, our Premier Saturday last, our Premier replying replying to a toast regarding the union, said in reference to Fiji that he did not care whether New Zealand or Australia had the Islands. He had received a cable from Fiji via Auckland, in which it was alleged that a clergyman well known there was to be deported by the Governor because he had the courage to advocate federation, and give the peop e of the Crown Colony political freedom. It was further stated that if the clergyman was deported, it would lead to a serious rising in the district to which he belonged. If there is any truth in the assertion it is high time the Imperial authorities interfered and removed from office a gentleman whose apparent object seems to be opposition to the Federation of the Islands of the South Pacific. It is certain that if allowed to remain, he will create a hostile feeling in colonies that have recontly, and are even now, showing unmistakable loyalty to the British Crown.