LATEST FROM FIJI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 814, 18 August 1870, Page 3

LATEST FROM FIJI.

Br the Wonga Wonga, via Sydney, we (New Zealand Herald) have our regular files of the Fiji Weekly Times. The cotton picking had commenced, and the plantations were everywhere looking well, and promising yields as satisfactory as those of the summer picking had been. The great difficulty continues to be labor, and it is feared that unless this be properly overcome large quantities of cotton will spoil in the field. Several of the vessels out for labor had returned from the New Hebrides, and other groups, with more or less success. In some cases as many as 75 or 80 had come in one vessel—in others not more than 15 or 20. All the vessels disposed to incur the risks of this trade had been chartered as fast as they arrived in Levuka—among others the Harriet Armitage, a barque ot 500 tons. In the William Maclaren there had been a terrible tragedy. Mr Harcourt, a planter, took with him some Line men to interpret in getting others. On the voyage one of these men crept up at night, clove the skull of Mr Harcourt with an axe, as he was lying on deck, and then jumped overboard and drowned himself. The motive is unknown, and the man had been for some time in Mr Harcourt's service on his plantation. The reports of kidnapping had reached Fiji, and we are glad to see.that a large public meeting had been held in Levuka to consider the rules laid down by H.B.M. Consul for the importation of labor. Exception to the stringency of these rules was taken by some, on the ground that it only interfered with the trade without stopping the abuses to which it might be liable. Kidnapping was reprobated iu the strongest terms as injurious to the well-disposed, aud to the prospects of a continuous labor supply. A deputation waited on the Consul, who promised to co-operate with them in makmg the rules as little oppressive to the honest trader as possible, but who made it a sine qua non that no imported laborers should be allowed to land in any other part of the group than Levuka, in order that he might personally inspect them on arrival, and witness the engagements made with them. To this the deputation at once agreed, and stated that with some few well-known exceptions, this had always been the case.

The Corporation of Fiji Settler 3 had been organised and its constitution adopted. The oDjuct is to enable the white men and natives to work together in keeping peace and administering justice. The -Nadroga chief had expressed his willingness to place 2000 men at the disposal of the next American man-of-war arriving there to punish the hill tribes who burnt Brest and Underwood's plantation there last year.

A great number of settlers appear to be coming in from Australia and from diiferent parts of New Zealuud. In Kaki Kaki, a Christian district, thy old chief having died, two of his wives in sisted on following the customs of their forefathers, and being killed as " grass for the chief's grave." Their wish was gratified by their dutiful sons, and the ladies strangled in due form. It is to be hoped that this will be the last exhibition of the kind among the .coast natives, but on the hills they are not so easy to get at or to influence.

The war between the Bau and the Bua chiefs was hanging fbe, and no hostilities pn either side are reported-

the Maori dictionary. The following appeared as a letter to the , Editor, in the Wellington Independent « Sir, —I noticed in your paper of the 25th. June jour report <of what was said the day before in the House of Representatives concerning the Maori Dictionary on' which I ana engaged, and I have lately seen the authorized report of the same in the " Hansard." And, as I wish both members of the House and the public generally to know a little more than is therein shadowed forth respecting the same, I venture to trouble you with this. More especially as Mr GKllies, in putting his question to the Government, ' explained, that he put the question in consequence of his having observed that during fast years a considerable sum of money appeared to have been paid to Mr Coleuso for the preparation of a Maori Dictionary, which, he believed, was commenced a number of years ago.' And the Hon. Mr McLean, in reply, said, ' What the hon. member had stated was perfectly true ; Mr Colenso, for the preparation of this work, had been the recipient of sums of money for several years] &c.' Briefly, then, the simple facts are these, as to time and money : (1) Nett sums received by me during four and a half years (to 31st March last), average £230 per annum : (2) time actually engaged thereon, after deducting that of three severe illnesses (one of which, three years ago, was attended by a severe surgical operation on my right hand, from which I have not yet recovered), three and a half years; no ?mall portion of whicii I have worked both day and night—l am now working at it without pay. I may also mention, (1) that the original arrangement proposed (as per prospectus officially supplied in 1865 to tbe Hon. Mr Mantell, when Native Minister),was, seven years (min ), at £3OO per annum (max), to include all expenses " : and (2), that in a conversation I had with the late Bishop of Wellington (no poor authority as a philologist), in 1866, respecting the said work, tbe Bishop said the only thing he found fault with was the short time of seven years, as he did not think I could possibly do it in that period—and Dr Abraham was right. Possibly Mr Gillies (like some others), without due enquiry, may have gone back to the time when the work was first agreed to in the House—viz., 1861-A2. —I am, &c, W. Colenso. Napier, July 28, 1870.