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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4296, 28 December 1874, Page 3

Nearly all the London morning papers have contained articles upon the annexation of the Fiji Islands. The Times professes feelings of nnmixed satisfaction at the intelligence, and adds:—“ It was, perhaps, unavoidable that we should at last assent to the transfer of sovereignty so strangely forced upon us by the King, but we speak the thoughts of all sound politicians when we say that we should have been glad if the necessity of considering the offer had never arisen. Even now it is admitted that the arguments for and against accepting the cession are nicely balanced, and, wliilo Lord Carnarvon spoke with great hesitation last session on the side of acceptance, one of the very few speeches made by Mr. Gladstone on a non-ecclesiastioal subject was in eager depreciation of the policy the Colonial Secretary somewhat reluctantly' favored. Wo shall have to walk with great circumspection to escape future trouble in relation to Fiji." On two applications to the public, the Victorian loan for £1,500,000 was not more than half-subscribed. It was closed, however, on the third application, but with what results wo have not yet heard.