FIJIAN CHIEFS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1924, Page 4

FIJIAN CHIEFS.

VIEW'S ON THE 'EM I’ll! I EN II HUTTON.

A l'( K LAN D. September 1

An interesting giotip of three Fijian ohieis arrived in Ail bland l>v the Mainari to-dav on tlmir wav to Suva after attending the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley. Haiti Joiii A. Kahiki. 0.8. E.. and Rain R. Ye-IL have been on a deputation to the King on the oceasin of the fiftieth anniversary <*f British rule in Fiji, and Rain .1. 1.. V. Siikuua. 8.A., has been acting as As-i.stnilt Commissioner to Sir Mu.vuurd Jlodstrom at the Fiji court. The court at Hatted considerable attention. and wa.s visited by over ten thousand persons every week. The chief attraction of the display was the tarn, or native cloth, "ith which the walls were covered.

The opinions of the chief regarding the Ne" Zealand Court are interesting. They say that the lack of arrangement is disappointing, and there is no scenic display sm-h as is t.o he seen in the courts of Canada or Australia. They consider the Indian Court t-i be like a vast- bazaar which is badly set up.

One of the objects of the chiefs’ visit to England was to interview the Socrotnrv of »Btate lor the Colonies with a view to obtaining reorganisation of the Native Department in Fiji. Mr Thomas was very sympathetic, and it is probable that as a result of the

interview a proper Native Department will bo reinstated and that a Native Commissioner will represent the people in both the Legislative and the Executive Councils of Fiji.

In the course of enversatiou with the chiefs the King said he was glad that British rule in Fiji had been appreciated from ihe time of Queen Victoria. lie was licensed to accept talma, or whale’s tooth, as a token of the esteem of his people for their sovereign. Mis Majesty was surprised that the chiefs visited him wearing European dress. Ho had expected to see them wearing the native su’u or kilt. Until Rabiki informed him he was afraid that if they appeared in the sulu they would lie placed under arrest- for obstructing traffic.

llatu Yeli was iii England ome before. when he attended the coronation of the King. Rain Rabiki was incessant in bis activity during the war in raising funds for patriotic causes, and for bis valuable work was invested with the O.Ti.K.

The youngest member of the pnrli is 11-atii Sukuna, who was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School and Oxford University, lie has had a distiiigiii'hed career and is a member ol the .Middle Temple. Me was in England when the war broke out, and owing to .some delay in being ncicpted for .service be crossed to Frame and joined the French Foreign Legion in which he served for two years. Mr was sevetelv wounded but recovered, and later joined the British loi'ces. liaiu Sukuna was the guest of many distinguished people in England and :i ] orMfiia! irivncl <;!' the* Prime* of Wales.

This evening some Fiiians from Iho steamer Tnl'tia raid homage to the cliit>ls at the hotel, where the leremony of drinking kava was peifoimcil.

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