FIJI.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 12, 15 April 1871, Page 15

FIJI.

The correspondent of the " Sydney Morning Herald," writing from Levuka, Ovalau, on March 7, says : The Springbok, barque, arrived yesterday, after a passage of twenty-one days, with contrary winds. She brings seven passengers. A letter from the Church of England members in Fiji is in course of signature, to be sent to Bishop Patteson, requesting him to take the episcopal oversight of Church of England in Fiji. Portions of a wreck have been picked up onvtwo islands in the Assawas group. They are supposed to be the remains of Mr Sandiland's boat, who has been missing for some time. Many white residents in the group have been suffering from dysentery lately, and sixteen native laborers are reported to have died through it on Mrs Fitzgibbon's plantation on the Dreketi River, Vanu Levu. The Lovoni tribe, that, it was rumored, intended to attack the white people of Levuka, have not yet made any hostile movement against us, and the native warriors brought here by Thakombau to fight the Lovoni men have not done anything but to repeat the Fijian watchword " Malna"—by and-bye. The weather has been extremely "warm and oppressive latterly. Her Majesty's consul (Mr March) has not yet returned from his visit to Taviuni, whether he went, as some said, to get out of the war —from the threatened attack of the Lovoni natives. An inquest has been held at Taviuni, on the 23rd ultimo, touching the death of Dr. Browning, lately from Melbourne, and the conclusion was that his death resulted from natural causes. Messrs J. T. Smith, of Madroga. Viti Levu, had their cotton house lately burnt down, but they not know how the fire was caused. They estimate the damage at about £IOOO. We learn that a schooner boat, name and owner unknown, has been lost off JSTadroga coast, and six Fijians in it drowned. March B.—The Meteor came in to-day with fourteen passengers, after a passage of twenty, six days.