FIJI.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 62, 9 February 1884, Page 3

FIJI.

(From the Sydney Mail,) Levuka, Dec. 29. One of the delegates sent by the English residents of the country to the recent Australian Convention, the Hon. Roger Beckwith Trfyfa, has returned by the Rockton. The feeling with respect to his mission is that, « though it was a failure as to the primary ’ object of it—and those who expected anything else must have been very sanguine men, —yet advantages will nevertheless accrue from the open representation of the difficulties and disabilities that, from a Governmental source, beset the English subject in this very Crown colony. Our Governor, we observe, has made himself conspicuous in the Covention by a remarkable paper that he laid before delegates on the colonisation of the Pacific Islands —remarkable, I mean, from the originality, or at least the individuality, of its views. I do not propose to discuss these views, but simply, by way of news, in this news-letter, to say how some of the intelligent colonists of Fiji regard it. One remarkably keen-witted gentleman, holding large commercial transactions through the _ group, asked what, when stripped of the full Ciceronian eloquence which wraps up mueh of the meaning of the paper, was the Governor’s warning against the colonisation from Australia of the Pacific Island. “ Why,” was the reply, “ in half-a-dozen words, it means that the planters will then grow more

; sugar than they can sell.” The questioner i put on a look of astonishment, and then, i drawing up his mouth for a moment, burst into a ringing laugh. Such a laugh i from such a man was in itself an argument ; a rich cachinnatory refutation of , a curiously solemn opinion. One or two others, representative men, on hearing of, or i on reading for themselves the paper referred to, remarked, “ Oh yes, that is the old story; we have heard those despondent views before at Government House itself. Didn’t believe 'in them then.” The Suva Times first took the field upon the subject, arguing that the reasoning in the paper on the subject of labor supply was illogical, and that because the obtaining and bringing away from their homes of Polynesian laborers to Queensland and Fiji was difficult and costly, it did not follow that to obtain the same laborers for work close to their homes would be of equal difficulty and cost—or that a high deathrate such as that which is said to prevail amongst Polynesians who are brought away to other lands—would range the islands when tilling sugar plantations in their own groups. Also, that without annexation there is no future before those Polynesian Islands. And the Fy'i Times follows suit, commenting upon what it terms “ the peculiar twist in Sir William Des Vceux’s ideas as to the march of civilisation and progress in the South Seas," and referring to “ the ad. verse influence he has so persistently exercised to the prejudice of the colonists of Fiji.” This organ of the planting and commercial interest asserts, in contravention of a portion of the aforesaid paper, that though sheep have been introduced into the South Sea Islands as yet with only partial success, yet mohair can be produced to amply compensate for any deficiency in wool; while horses and cattle thrive as well as in any part of the world; that there is no necessity for Fiji to compete with Eastern Asia in growing rice, as she can grow things more worth the while, and that she has advantages of soil and laborsupply which will enable her to compete most favorably with Northern Queensland for an Australian market, which will ba a con-tinually-increasing market. Since penning the foregoing I have observed that m your leading article of the 7th December you have cited a similar fallacy of vaticination as to the future of a country in the case of those

who predicted that Australia would export less than she imported, and would never be able to grow wool tb compete in the markets of Europe. Having given a brief resume, of the opinions passed in Fiji on hie Excellency’s memorandum, I can only add my individual admiration of the originality which could prompt to such a view of the subject as that in the said State paper (re the growing more than could be sold), and also of the courage -displayed in laying before the world a view which does not seem to have a single appreciative hearer or enlightened sympathiser. Some of our business men amidst their smiles say that it is really too bad that our Governor should take such lugubrious views of the capacities of this colony and her neighbor groups. On further inquiry into the rumor as to seventy men being m durance vile for “ disobedience to chiefs,” I am told that it was not for refusing to pay the tax-produce, but for declining to build some houses, that affliction fell upon them, and that it was administered, not by the English Magistrate, but by the district chiefs themselves. Down the eastern coast of Navitilevu a local excitement has occurred which may innocuously end, or may cause some unhealthy febrile disturbance. At the least, it is a significant matter. An old chief of Navasavakadua, has been doing some hocus-pocus after the fashion of Te Whiti, of New Zealand celebrity. He announces the revival of the “ tuka,” an ancient heathen superstition, and says that the former Fijian gods will shortly reassert themselves in power; that all who adhere to the Government and to the Lotu (Christianity) will come to ruin. The Stanley outrage at the Laughlin Island, referred to in your published “ Cruise of H.M.S. Diamond,” is receiving very careful attention at the hands of the High Commission authorities in Suva. From what has come to hand, it would seem to be a very disgraceful and piratical proceeding, but we wish it to be particularly known that the Stanley is a Queensland vessel, and not one of ours, for the Rev. Mr. Paton is accustomed to argue that, if Queensland does an objectionable thing, what enormity would not Fiji be capable of ? But our Government really must have the credit of being the very strictest and sharpest against all forms of kidnapping and outrage on natives by settlers or mariner-whites that exist south of the line.