LATE FIJI NEWS.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 337, 12 July 1875, Page 4

LATE FIJI NEWS.

By the arrival of the Hero at Auckland, the Herald has files of Fiji papers via Sydney to the 2ad ult, from which the following extracts are taken: — Mr W. Fisher states that a good deal of maize is planted on Taviuni, and a very good harvest may be expected. There is no blight or a sign of caterpillars doing damage; so we trust our iriends the planters in that district have improved times in store for them. The Western Star took in a very large stock of copra, &c, and made very rapid progress in the shipment of cargo. A party of engineers under Major Pratt will arrive with his Excellency the Governor. The Good Templars' Hall is being rapidly proceeded with, and at present shows a fine looking appearance. Its situation is well chosen as being easy of access to all parts of the town. The A.S.N. Co. have transmitted notices to their agents in Levuka that their monthly line of steamers will now be regular in their trips, and their charges for freight will be as moderate as circumstances will permit. Measles are very prevalent at the chief town of Lakeba. Some sixty natives have guccumbed to the disease, and the epidemic is still raging. , The planters at the back of the island are much put about by reason of the want of labor. Any quantity of produce and fruit remains rotting for want of gathering, and the public of Levuka suffer by the want of it.

The Fiji Bank (says the Fiji Times) is not reearded as a very useful institution, and the privileges originally accorded to it are considered altogether in excess of the benefits accrued by it, hence Sir Hercules advises as under :—" The Fiji Bank charter was granted on the 13th of August, 1873, by the King and his Ministers, the Constitution of 1871 being declared in the deed to have been at that time abrogated. The validity of the instrument may therefore, I think, fairly be questioned. It contains, also, some provisions which are inadmissible in a British colony, such as a monoply of banking for fourteen years, and exemption from taxation for a similar period. I venture to recommend that this charter should not be recognised by her Maj"<n-y'<» Government. The cOmpany might, howler, be allowed to retain so much of the 10,000 acres promised to them as they have actually been placed in possession of, and a charter might be given to them such as is usually granted to banking companies in Crown colonies on their complying with the ordinary conditions."

Touching on produce we can mention that maize is growing, and a good return is yielded, on the island of Cicia, and a fine sample was brought into town which equals that in quality which obtained so good a figure in Auckland recently. It is satisfactory to notice (says the limes) that capital is being freely invested in sugar culture in the Mauritius, and a company of £500,000 has been floated at home in £lO shares, half of which will be issued at first. The intention of the promoters of this company is to acquire sugar estates and undertake irrigation.works in the Mauritius, and also make advances on growing crops to ■timulate the chief industry of the colony. The scheme is associated with the Credit Foncier of Mauritius Company, inasmuch as the names of several of the directors in that undertaking figure prominently on the prospectus of the new scheme. Why should not the Fijis, where '' blows" are Ipps frequent, derive similar support from the old country. The 82nd Eegiment is to'be qnartered in the Fijis. They are to be transported from Singapore by H.M. troop-ship Adventure, which, at latest advices, was lying in the Straits awaiting orders. News from Kandavu tells us that measles have carried off some 2400 natives out of a total population of 7000 The epidemic of measles has spread to the island of Cicia and several casualties have taken place. The planters and their employees used every diligence to assuage the malady, by supplying medicines forwarded through the agency of the Government, still a determination to believe that the white men desire to exterminate them exists, and hence they refuse in some instances, and at all times show a disinclination to partake of medicinal comforts and a suspicion of the good intentions of their white employers. The matai-ni-mate of the district prescribe their various vegetable remedies, and these are more favorably received than the efficacious European restoratives ; in fact it is with difficulty the medicines forwarded for native aid can be forced upon those requiring their use. No lack of medical stores has been felt anywhere amongst the islands to the windward, on the contrary, the agents accredited by the Government are constant in their attention, and have displayed a desire to assist the native race in their affliction.

Queen's Birthday was celebrated with more than usual festivities. la the first place we had a rifle match, where all the knights of the trigger assembled and contested amicably among themselves for a sweepstake. The shooting was not good, but considering none of the members were in Eractice it is easily accounted for. A pleasant alf day was spent, and every one returned into town pleased with a slight recreation, and improved in health by the exercise of climbing hills, &c. We {Fiji Times) have much pleasure in furnishing our readers with a correct list of officials under his Excellency Sir Arthur H Gordon. It is furnished by an undoubted authority, and may, therefore, be relied upon as authentic:—Vice-President of Executive Council, Hon John Bates Thurston, Esq ; Executive Council—-Hon John Bates Thurston, Esq; Colonial Secretary, Hon John Bates Thurston, Esq; Colonial Treasurer, John Bates Thurston, Esq; Minister for Native Affairs, Katu Joni Cursitoni; Chief Justice and Chancellor, his Honor Mr Justice Thurston; the three Puisne Judges, their Honors John, Bates, and Thurston; Registrar, Sheriff, Judges' Associate, Tipstaff, ami Chief Constable, Mr J. B. Thurston; Mayor. Municipal Council, Town Clerk, Lamplighter and Scavenger, J. B. Thurston. The subordinate work of department will be conducted by that most efficient staff of clerks, Mr J. B. Thurston. On the 22nd May a public meeting was hald at the Sugar-mill House, on the Rewa Plantation Company's estate. The chair was occupied by Mr E. Graham. The business for which the meeting was called was " to consult as to measures to be taken to prevent the spread of typhoid fever in this district, dow unhappily at Levuka and Bau." After tome discussion the following resolutions wew pawed. b 7 tba meeting;—l, Xbat this

meeting having heard read the letter of the 19th May, from the office-bearers of the Rewa Planters' Association to the Colonial Secretary, approves of the statements made therein, and cordially endorses the preliminary action taken by the association. 2. That this meeting in the face of the fear of typhoid or typhus fever breaking out among the population, strongly urges on the Government the necessity of obtaining from the colonies, if not obtainable here, efficient medical aid, as well as a plentiful supply of medicine and disinfectants. 3. That this meeting, knowing the unhealthy state of the native towns in this district, and throughout the colony, owing to the superficial manner in which the numerous dead have been recently buried, as also from the accumulation of excrement and other foul matter consequent on the late sickness, and fearing the worst effects from malaria arising therefrom, strongly call on the Government to use the most prompt and strenuous efforts to have all the towns and villages thoroughly cleansed, and every effort made to avert or at least to mitigate, the dreadful evil. 4. That the thorough cleansing needed cannot be carried out by the native population alone, owing to their naturally inert habits, and also to the state of prostration to which they have been/educed both mentally and bodily by the recent fatal epidemic, it is therefore the duty of the Government to provide efficient European superintendence, under whom the necessary sanitary measures shall be carried out. 5. This meeting is of opinion that, unless thorough sanitary measures are at once adopted and carried out, should fever make its unwelcome appearance, a greater loss of life will happen than that which has lately befallen the colony, and w'uch will not be restricted to color or race, a los.B of life which it is believed has exceeded one-third of the population as it stood in October last, when annexation took place. 6. That the Government be at once requested to procure the best medical opinions and instructions for treatment of typhoid fever, and forward such to residents in this district, and also publish the same for general information." The Rewa correspondent of the Fiji Times, referring to the subject, makes the following remarks : —" Should the report which has reached this district happily be incorrect, very little short of the measures proposed being carried out, can (humanly speaking) prevent an outbreak of fever, and that not long hence ; when it is known that quite one-third of the native population has been carried off by measles and its after diseases, and that while the majority of deaths were occurring, the convalescents could not, in numerous cases, bury the bodies properly: It is well known that in some districts mere holes were scratched a foot or two deep, and portions of corpses actually left exposed above the surface, and in some instances (I am informed by natives who had seen it) the dead could not be buried at all, but left where they died and a little earth thrown over them some time after, when those who recovered were well enough to do it. If such is the state of affairs (and Ido not doubt it) what must follow the distribution of such putrid atmosphere as will arise with heavy rains and a scorching sun in a climate like Fiji."