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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 13, 26 September 1861, Page 2

In another column will be found several letters Laving reference to the Fiji Islands. As these letters are highly contradictory in their nature, we are glad to be able to give some information which we have gathered from a returned visitor to -these islands. In the first place the natives are not at all desirous of any increase of European residents. All they wish is such a number of traders as will supply their wants. They are described as filthy, idle, and thievish in their nature, and in the last respect to such a degree that it is not prudent to leave a “ location” for a moment unguarded. It is useless to raise any kind of crop, as the produce is sure to be stolen. Beyond the productions of the country, no necessaries of any kind can be obtained ; yams three times a day, and occasionally pork, is the usual diet. Fish and goats are numerous ; but the natives give “ nothing for nothing,” and when the means of barter are gone the settler has a miserable time of it. Three kinds of disease appear to be prevalent, viz., dysentery, a painful eye disease, and ulceration of an offensive nature. Most Europeans at first suffer from one or all of these maladies. The missionaries are anything but hospital, and encourage the native disposition to disfavor the immigration of the whites. Probably the number of worthless “ runaways” may in some measure account for the shyness of reception which the missionaries manifest. The islands are highly productive, and probably with a diet more adapted to European constitutions sickness would be much less prevalent. Shoes are almost forgotten by those who have worn out their supply. One lady was seen to take her Sunday dinner robed in black silk, whose feet were totally uncovered, and the instances of shoeless ladies are by no means rare. Mosquitos and centipedes are very numerous, but our informant did not ascertain whether or no the latter were venomous. Nothing was known as to what report Colonel Smyth would make to the British Government, and the great uncertainty regarding the course that would be pursued, caused everything to be very stagnant, employment not to be had, and protection quite out of the question. The reply to a letter which appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald is pronounced to be generally correct, and may be relied on. We reprint it in another column. The British consul had obtained passages to Sydney and elsewhere for several of the English, and the

greatest portion of those who had arrived with the idea of settling had either left the islands or were anxious to do so.

Mr. Henry Thomas, late of Napier, was a passenger by the Swan, which is supposed to have been lost in the hurricane which raged shortly after iier departure from the Fijis, and we fear there is too much reason to deplore the loss of this gentleman, so generally esteemed as he was in Napier.