THE FIJIS.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 208, 18 December 1869, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE FIJIS.

Mr. R. L. Holmes, of Wellington, has lately returned from a visit to the JFijis, after an absence of five months, three of which he spent in the group. He has contributed a letter to the Wellington Philosiphical Society, from which we make the following extract: — Cotton forms at present the staple commodity, and the principal attraction of the group. The Sea Island variety is cultivated almost exclusively by the whites, as it thrives in perfection, the climate and soil being so admirably adapted to it; but sugar and coffee, besides tobacco and spices, and other tropical productions will be also exported shortly in considerable quantities. The cocoanut oil manufacture is at present confined almost exclusively to the natives. The Beche-de-Mer fishery has almost entirely died out. With regard to the profits of cotton planting, I may state that the average yield per acre of Sea Island is about 2501b5. of ginned cotton; this is worth in London about (say the average price quoted, viz.) 3s. per lb. Consequently a plantation of 100 acres would give £3750 worth of cotton. Land is still to be got cheap either from the natives or whites ; but the best portions in accessible positions along the coast, where alone Sea Island cotton will thrive, have now fallen into the hands of the latter, who require a considerable advance on the almost nominal price paid originally to the Fiji chiefs, and the title holds good always, if the purchaser has taken sufficient care in the first place to buy from the right owner or owners. The natives, though continually quarrelling amongst themselves, are peaceably disposed towards the whites; indeed,

it is an object of ambition with many of the tribes to have as many of the latter to settle among them as possible. Their number is estimated at about 100,000, but they are too indolent as a rule to work much, consequently the planters have to look abroad for their laborers, and get them mostly from the New Hebrides and other neighboring groups. The language of the natives is easily acquired, and resembles the Maori in many particulars. Several books, including the bible complete, and a dictionary and grammar, have been printed, and can be bought by the settlers in Levuka. The climate, though so warm, is not unhealthy to the whites. The only serious disease I heard of is dysentery, though many new arrivals are attacked by a disease of the eyes resembling the “ sand blight” of Australia. Elephantiasis, caused, it is said, by drinking too much native grog, is in some places common among the natives. There is at present no recognised form of government in the islands, except that exercised by the various chiefs, the principal of which is Thakombau, who, however, rules only a portion of the group ; and the white settlers are very anxious that either the English or Americans should accept the sovereignity so often offered to them.