LATER FIJI NEWS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 150, 21 March 1874, Page 2

LATER FIJI NEWS.

From the Daily Southern Cross, 9th March. AN ADDRESS TO THE ROYAL COMMISSION FROM ENGLAND. The following is the address read at the public meeting convened by Commodore Goodenough and Mr. Consul Layard on Monday : —“To Commodore James G. Goodenough and Consul E. L. Layard, her Britannic Majesty’s Commissioners: The undersigned foreign residents in Fiji beg to thank you for affording us this opportunity of meeting you on matters so vital to the interests of this country as those upon which you are commissioned to inquire. We beg to assure you that we most heartily desire annexation to Great Britain, believing it to be the best—indeed, the only one—course which can be taken to prevent ruin to the inhabitants, and afford a fair prospect for developing the resources bf the group. We heartily wish you success in your arduous mission, and have the honor to be, gentlemen, your obedient servants (signed), Otty Cudlip, Mayor ; Wm. Floyd, Clerk; J. H. Simmonds, W. Missionary; C. R. Forwood, Carl L. Sahl, D. S. Wylie, Wesleyan Missionary, and nearly 230 others. LUVA LUVA AFTER THE HURRICANE. A correspondent writes :—“ This district is rapidly recovering the devastating effects of the late hurricane and nature is once again assuming her holiday garb. From what 1 can hear Savu Savu seems to have suffered more severely than many of the other districts; crops utterly destroyed, buildings heretofore considered strong and secure, and on which the last hurricane of 20th March, 1871, had no perceptible effect, hurled bodily to the ground, enormous trees tom up by the roots, and in some instances snapped in twain, attest the frightful force of the tornado. It is a significant fact that although these hurricanes utterly destroy the cotton crops, they do not appear to damage the sugar canes much. The present productions of Savu Savu are cotton, copra, corn, fibre, tapioca, arrowroot, sugar, and last, but not by any means least, rum. Let us have British rule and British gold, and Fiji will yet take a commanding place in the mercantile world. THE DEBT OF FIJI. The English Commissioners have received the financial statement from the Government. It shows a debt of about £BO,OOO, which may, when all outstanding current accounts shall have been estimated, be slightly increased. The Commission have appointed Mr. Sahl, German Consul-General in Sydney, and Mr. Horton, manager of the Fiji Bank, as auditors. The appointment of these two gentlemen has given general satisfaction. So soon as audited the accounts will be published for general information. In the last issue of the Government Gazette the following “ notice ” appears “ A reduction in every branch of the Government service being contemplated, general notice thereof is herewith given to gentlemen in the publie employ. This intimation is intended, and is to be accepted as a personal communication where it- may hereafter be deemed necessary.” Mr. N. Chalmers has been appointed Sheriff of the Kingdom of Fiji, vice Mr. Brougham, resigned.