Fiji News.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1575, 7 December 1885, Page 2

Fiji News.

(Per s.B. Arawata.) (UNITED iPRESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, Saturday. Reports have been received from vari* ous quarters m the Group giving alarm-* ing accounts of the serious state which produce an:l vegetation are m, owing to Jong continued drought. In all districts complaints are made of the suiallnees of i the cocoanut crop, the nuts -not * being much larger than a mail's jist. This state of affairs will tell materially on tho collection of Native taxes. .Reports I trotn Windward as to the state ot "%• country from want of rain; are lament?able, even on fertile and eyergraeff nuri. Streams have dried up, grass has disappeared, and stock have to be hand* fed on fodder. H.M.S. Miranda arrived m Suva from Samoa, after a passage of 4 days, under command of Captain J. Paul, who reports that affairs m S uuoa are. cfuiet and i more settled than for years, The Mirandft [ subsequently took her departure for SydI deyAnother serious not occurred among Polynesian laborers at Suva. The "batants were armed with knfyes', clubs, &c. The fight was stopped by tho European residents near the, scene of con. nict, and the rioters fled, leaving one of , their number on the ground m an unconscious state. .He was . carried, to tho hospital, where he now lies iii'ai phtet&ious state. News has recently (tome to hand confirming m a great measure the report first received as to the disastrous .ifitcte of the bush fires which have devastated the northern portion of Bua province. An investigation since held by,..Mr.T.iupp, S M., has clearly traced these fires' to '- Native Agency, and compensation ha» • been awarded for damage. ~ .<•.•■' > t . '.-•'