THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 247, 4 October 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times.

" Inveniam viam aut faciam."

DUNEDTN, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4,

The force oi the old adage "a burnt child dreads the fire," has been fully demonstrated in the decision arrived at by the Home Government in respect to the Fiji Islands. The refusal by the British Government of the profferred sovereignty of one of the finest groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean, affording admirable facilities for a naval station, will cause more surprise to the subjects of Louis Napoleon than it will to the people of Great Britain. The fear of repeating the New Zealand experiment has doubtless been the actuating, cause. It is certain that Great Britrin will not again rashly take upon her hands the management and control of a race of savages. The elements which have proved so disastrous to the success of the policy of a civilized Government amongst the Maories of New Zealand, exist in an aggravated form in the Fijis. The geographical conditions of the islands interpose many difficulties in the way of governing a populous race of aboriginal inhabitants. The Fijis consist of a very numerous group of islands, for the most sort thickly populated by a fierce and cannibal race. Although acknowledging in some part a head chief, or Tui Viti, the tribes inhabiting the different groups are continually at war with each' other and amongst themselves. The natives of the Fijis appear to possess a great many of the peculiarities of the aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand. Their language is somewhat similar, and a great many of their customs are identical. They are brave and warlike, and are largely endowed with the treachery and suspicion common to almost every savage race. The Fiji Islands have been frequented by Europeans for many years, but chiefly by the crews of "American whaling ships and trading | vessels from the islands in the Pacific, I and a sort of semi-colonization of part of the group has been carried on, but with very indifferent success. The uncertain tenure of land, and the utter absence of law or order prevented anything like settled occupation. Although the fertility of the Islands, and their natural advantages, held out great inducements to adventurous colonists, their efforts have been opposed and defeated by the united influence of the resident Europeans and the Missionaries. The former, in whose hands the trade of the Islands has chiefly been confined, used every means of keeping out settlers who might interfere with their profits. The Missionaries, jealous of their influence over the minds of the Natives^ and disliking anything which might tend "to injure their schemes of evangelization, threw every possible difficulty in the way of the settlers.- Possessing great influence over the minds of the natives,/the missionaries dissuaded them as much as possible from parting with their land, and foolishly instilled in the natives a distrust of the honest intentions of the settlers. Probably also there were certain considerations of.a more mercenary character which made it the interest of the missionaries to discourage the colonization of the Fijis, for some of them are said to have driven a very profitable trade in the disposal of the oil, c otto a, fruit and other products of the islands.

Certain circumstances occurred some l three years ago which induced the Sovereign Chief of the Fijis to tender the sovereignty of the islands to the British Government. We are 'indebted' for a detail of ; those circumstances, to. an article in the ; Sydney Morning Herald. It appears that a certain American captain, named Boutwell, the commander of the United States ship of war, John Adams, had made a most unjust demand for the payment of 45,000 dollars, for some alleged loss to American subjects, owing to the interference of the Missionaries. As the writer in the Sydney Morning Herald justly remarks, the conduct of this American captain

appears to' have beM~ffi6renhm-^ than of an officer of a'civilised Government. To punish* as he says," the interference of the "Missionaries," Captain Boutwell makes an extravagant demand upon the unoffending Chief, and accompanies that demand by threats of personal vengeance. iLs an instance of the illegality of the claim, it is stated that one original claim of 5000 dollars ha 3 been raised to 18,000 dollars. Fearful of. his life, and wishing to escape from the dilemma in which he wasf placed, Tha Ivombau, the Tui ■Viti, or Sovereign Chief, made a formal offer of the sovereignty of the islands to the Crown of Great Britain—the principal condition being that the British Government should pay the 45,000 dollars demanded by Captain Boutwell.

This offer was, at first, favorably received by the British Government; but, however desirable the acquisition of the islands might have been, it was hardly to be supposed that the Government would take advantage of the peculiar position of their native sovereign. Accordingly it was resolved that a commissioner should be despatched to the Fijis for the purpose of reporting as to the desirability, or otherwise of accepting the government of the islands. Colonel Smythe, the officer appointed for this purpose, sailed from Auckland in a small schooner sometime about June 1860, arrived safely at \ the Fijis, anS at once set about his mission After a rather protracted stay in the islands, Colonel Smythe made his report to the Government. His opinion is, that at present it would not be expedient for the British Government to accept the proffered sovereignty of the Fiji Islands, and the only extension of the British protection which he recommends is, that there should be additional resources placed at the command of the Consulate. He ! reports favorably of the resources of the islands, and of the natives themselves, who it appears have been considerably humanized by the exertions of the missionaries. The character of the Europeans living on the islands, is described as being very unsatisfactory. . However politic, in one sense, the decision of Her Majesty's Government may be, it is, we think, much to be regretted that the sovereignty of the Fiji Islands has not been accepted. If the cession had not been trammelled by doubtful conditions, and if care had been taken not to impose undesirable responsibilities on the British' Government, we cannot see what difficulties were to be feared. The peculiar position of the Fijis, and their natural importance, render it extremely probable that they will sooner or later fall into the possession of some European power, and it were better they should belong to England than France. No slight considerations would stand in the way of the latter power acccepting the Islands. They would form too admirable an addition to New Caledonia to be cast aside. As a post of observation and naval station, the Fijis offer great advantages, and it would be very undesirable to see them in the hands of a j rival power. | The Sydney Morning Herald inclines to the I opinion that " the causes which compelled the " British Government, however reluctantly, " to accept the sovereignty of New Zealand, " will, in the long run, prevail in the Fiji*." These causes, the writer assumes, will be found in the gradual increase of the white 1 population,- which, being restrained, by no recognised authority, will render it imperative for the Government to interfere for the sake of law and order. Such may probably be the case and it is therefore more to be regretted that the step is not taken now. " Prevention "i 3 better than cure," and the establishment of a properly recognised and constituted authority in the Fijis now, would provide against those scandals and disorders which the earlier history of New Zealand furnished. As a mere acquisition of territory, the Fiji Islands possess no extraordinary value. Fertile they are, and are proved to be capable of growing excellent cotton, tobacco, coffee, spices, and other tropical products to perfection, but large portions of the Australian continent can do the same, and therefore the simple possession of the islands would be no great acquisition. But as a matter of policy, if only to prevent their falling into the hands of France, we think the acceptance of the Fiji Islands, would have been a wise step on the part of the British Government, and through their refusal we may see the Fijis slip out of our hands into those of the French as Tahiti did. With New Caledonia, the Fijis and Tahiti, the position of the French in the Pacific would be a strong one, and would place it in their power in the event of a war to inflict great injuries upon British commerce in these waters. . ;

W£ direct the'attention of.our readers to a letter in another column from the agents of the City of Hobart, detailing the circumstances under which the .September Mails from New Zealand were left behind by the mail steamer. The letter is corroborated by the particulars given in the Melbourne papers, from one of which, the Argus, 26th September, we extract :the following paragraph :—" Yesterday afternoon, at two o'clock, the Northam steamed from her anchorage, on her voyage to Galle, with the mails* for England. We regret that the New Zealand mails have again missed. They have been brought by. the steamship City of Hobart, Captain Darby, which reached Hobson's Bay last night, and which only j ust failed to put them on board the Northam. It was intended: that the City of Hobart should leave Port Chalmers oh the 17th inst., but she was dejayed on her downward passage by heavy adverse gales. She sailed from Hobson's Bay on* the morning of the 9th inst:, and on the 16th was within sixteen miles of Otago Heads. So violent a gale was blowing from the north-east, however, that Captain Darby was: forced to put back to Bluff Harbour. He reached Port Chalmers at nine.p.m. on the 18th inst., discharged 100 tons' of cargo, took tin "board 230

tons of coal, embarked the mails, ami sailed for Melbourne at eight o'clock ou the morning of the 18th inst. Throughout the voyage across, jiard gales from W.N.WV have been experienced. The City of Hobart, however, made a successful pas-' .sage, and.was off Cape Scbank yesterday at five o'clock p.m. Half an hour afterwards, Captain Darby saw the Northam coming out from the Heads. He was near enough to see the Northam stop to put the pilot on board the cutter, and he gave chase, hoping that" the1 JSTortham would recognise his signals, and stop to take the mail oh

burned blue lights-but the Northani would not wait. The Hobarfc had gained on the Northam, but Captain Darby seeing the mail steamer firing up, saw that it was useless to continue the pursuit, turned back when he. had-passed the Heads about eight miles, and made his way up the bay The City of Hobart brings six cabin and thirtyfive steerage passengers, but no gold. The weather throughout the voyage has been of the severest character."

V7e were yesterday shown some handsome nuggets from Buller River, received by the. Union Bank, Dunadiu, from the Bank in kelson. Tho nuggets were ten in number, and were enclosed m a small glass ease Tho largest whs about 15 oz., and the next 1.0 oz ; both of these containing an admixture of quartz. Another, weighing about 4 oz. was quite solid, as were also most of the rest, which were of small size. The following is an extract from the letter of the Nelson manager of the Union Bank, which accompani d the case of nuggets:_« The captain of the Airedale will lumd you a small case containing some nuggets of gold procured at the Buller liiver, west coastof this Province (Nelson), and I have been requested br some of our influential customers and residents here to ask your kind offices m getting them exhibited in your city I am requested- to state (should a doubt arise) the fact of its having been raised by partks known here, and purchased on the spot by our respected constituents. Weight of gold, 35 o 7 7 dwl 17 gr.» The nuggets are, we believe, to bo exhibited to-day in the window of Mr. Beverlev jeweller, Princes-street. '

MiTh Tf.^° m OUl' Melbourne correspondent that the bill for the reduction of the salary of the Governor has been disallowed by her Majesty and that Sir Henry Barkly i s to re main Governor ol Victoria for six years more.

We were yesterday favored with a view of a further report received from Mr Gabriel Head who, it will be remembered went up to the Dunstanfor the purpose of reporting upon the field We are unable to-daj to publish the report in full, but the following is briefly its mhsta Ze, Mt Read had continued his examination of the Clutha and its tributaries, and had found many parties prospecting about in. almost every direction with varying b:i., w One party was on the Wnsdeugh Cr,-, lltf ,r the Kawarau, and a small canal had Lo^ niade , about a mile in length, for the^u^e of sluicing. He'saw a promising looking quartz reef on M'Lean's station but was unable to find gold in it. Parties were prospecting three miles up the Bannockburn but were not obtaining such prospects as to induce them to continue working, while their expenses and loss of time in obtaining provisions are so great. The farthest distance that any party was at work up the Kaimrau was eight miles. Coarse gold was being obtained in the tunnels on the banks of the Clutha. Mr Read expected that the rise in the river would cause a diminu, tion in the numbers of miners at work, but saw no cause for dissatisfaction in this. At the date of his report, the 26th of September, he mis about starting for the Nokomai.

The pickpockets Joaes, alias Wilson, and Joseph ruckwell and Lambert, were brought up at the Resident Aiagistrates' Court yesterday. The court was crowded ; aud it needed no phrenologist to decide at a glance taar a largo proportion of those m*ent belonged to the « dan-erouß classes" JonTwas sent to imprisonment and Jiard labor for six months, and Howes for four months.

A telegram in the Melbourne Herald states that a great rush to New Zealand was taking place from the Lachlan, the coaches being engaged for fivo days beforehand. °

A telegram from Sydney in the Argus of September 26, says that it is reported in well-informed circles that the ministry intend to place a sum oa the estimates for the purpose of receiving prince Alfred with becoming pu.np and ceretndnr.

A fierce gale from the west was blowing all day yesterday, the gusts and eddies frequently making it very difficult for pedestrians to " hold then- own," or keep their feet. During the afternoon there was a rumor that part of the Wesleyan Chapel, which is about the most exposed building in the city, had been blown away. This was not correct. It was frared that the building had been so much shaken, that to meet in it oa Sunday for worship would be unadvisable if not positively dangerous, and the. Rev. Mr Ilardimr applied to Mr Strode, R.M., to be allowed to use the Court House for the day. This was, of course, conceded, but in the evening, we are told, Mr Harding stated that the feara as to the chapel had been exaggerated, and that it would be occupied as usual to-morrow. Trifling damage was, no doubt, done to many buildings in the city.

Dr. Hector has received from Mr Hill, the Manager of the Bank of New South Wales, Nelson, a small sample of platina, picked out from a parcel of Warigapeka gold. There are only a few scales. Amongst them is one of IridOsmim. Tne latter has previously been, detected in New Zealand gold by Mr Ford, of Melbourne. Platina is rather abundant it* British Columbian gold, but less so iv California!!, Although often spoken of in Victoria, its existence there is, we believe, not authenticated. Platiua is heavier than gold, and more valuable than silver. It Is chiefly found in Russia and South America. /,

We are indebted to the Melbourne% fi for the following :—« The British Colonist, £paper publishedan Vancouver's Island," Britisli Columbia in its issue of the 21st of, June last, contains the following interesting ,' Summary of News from Australia,' to the 7th of, April previous :—'The Deep Creek diggings are not highly spoken of. Three robbers, attacked, the Lachlan mail on its' way to Orange, but were "put to flight by a taooper accompanying the coach, Mio -slashed among them with his sabre. A statute of tho late Prince Consort will be erected at Goulbnm We can excuse the blunders of English journalists after that!"

The reduction in the gold duty, effected in Victoria, has been followed by a similar reduction m New South Wales, with a further difference in favour of gold coined at the Sydney Mint • a tele, gram in the Melbourne Herald of September 26*' says ;—« An amendment was carried in the Assembly to-day, reducing the gold duty ; from the first of January, 1863, to Is Gd per ounce on gold to be exported, and Is 3d per ounce on gold to be forwarded to the mint. Gold which is not tho produce of this colony is to be exempted from this new law." ' ' »

The following is the gaol retura for the week as furnished by the governor, Mr. Stoddart:— Awaiting trial before tho .Supreme Court; 19 males, 3 females ; before the Magistrate, 3 males; under sentence to hard labor, ,41 'males and H females ; to imprispnmcnt,. 3 females 5 in default of bail, 1 male ; for debt, 9 males y lunatios, 6. Received during the, week,' 19^ males and 3 females; discharged, 21 males and* 3 female*. In the gaol last night, 77 males/and 3 feooales^ being 2 moire than last veelc; ~ ' \

We learn that the Qovernmant has decided on continuing the sinking of the deep shaft at Waitahuna.

Bulwor Lytton's comedy, "Money," was produced at the Theatre Eoyal last evening. Of course it is a satire on the power of riches in gaining troops of seeming friends; —the special illustration of its potency, in affecting the loves of Alfred Evelyn and Clara Douglas, being subtle, and productive of fine dramatic effect. They arc both gifted intellectually, and highly cultivated. Clara loves Evelyn, but rejects him when both are poor dependents, because she has seen ncr father's ambition blasted, and his education and abilities made but bitterness, through his having married for love. Within an hour of this rejection, Evelyn is dceUred the heir to a large fortune; and he scorns the idea of proffering himself, plu3 his riches, to her who had refused him for himself alone. He turns to Georgina Vcsey, and becomes contracted to h»?r ; but she is frivolous and really loves the fop, Sir Frederick Blount. Evelyn invents a story of a codicil to the will by which the testator bequeaths £20,000 to Clara ; and afterwards sick of the hollowness of his friends, he determines to test them and Georgina by pretending to be ruined by gambling and speculation. Clara hears that £10,000 will relieve Evelyn from his pressing difficulties, and pays the money to his credit, before she knows that her fortune was his gift ; and Evelyn believes the money to be the marriage portion of Georgina, who is really , about starling for Gretna Green with Blount There are other naturally wrought surprises beyond those involved in clearing up the main points in the plot ; and there 13 throughout the most minute delineation and strong contrast of character. The miserly scheming Sir John Ve3ey loses all the points for which he plays ; while his opposite, Smooth, the fashionable sharper, free and frank, and careless how he spends his winnings, gains friends by a kindness he is able to do to Evelyn. Mr Graves, with everything to make life enjoyable, thinks he finds comfort only in dreaming of hi 3 " sainted Maria," who was trnly his curse while on earth ; while the wido.ved Lidy Franklin, who lost a good husband and has but little fortune, has with it philosophy enough to be happy and to charm Graves to cheerfulness and matrimony. Evelyn's fondness for prating rentimentalities is perhaps the only defect in the piece ; it threatens, now and then, to be something more than tedious. The comedy was excellently played, especially considering that it is peculiarly one which requires repetition to 'enable all the points to be well made. Mr Holt, as Evelyn, was earnest in love and biiing- in satire ; while Mrs. Holt, as Clara, succeeded admirable in pourtraying the quiet bitterness of grief with which she is forced to bear misconstruction. Graves and Smooth were capitally done by Mr Dale and Mr Ryan ; and Mr Wolfe was a good Blount. Sfcout was made somewhat too vulgar and noisy. The comely pleased the audience greatly ; and their applause was liberal. As an interlude, Mr 11. IT. Elliotte, who has a light tenor voice, sang two songs—" Seeing Nelly home," and " Good bye, sweetheart." Hl^ was very well received. The farce was, " The Man about Town."

There was a moderate attendance at the Princess's Theatre last night. The performance consisted of the "Young Widow," the " Loan of a Lover/ and the musical entertainment by the vocalists of the Opera troupe. The high wind operated unfavorably upon the musical performances, the constant rattle and noise rendering it impossible to listen with anything like ease. Tiu: evening passed off well, the several performers acquitting themsslvc* with their usual skill.