FIJI.

Southland Times, Issue 986, 15 July 1868, Page 3

FIJI.

(From tho Correspondentof the "Sydney Morning Herald.") The s.s. Albion, somewhat to our astonishment, arrived here on the 22nd ot May, after a good passage of ten days, and brought us the "Herald" of the 10th. After leaving about forty-five of her passengers,' she started on Monday, the 25th for Japan. Business of the greatest importance to Fiji was transacted on board on the day after her arrival. It appears thattwo nf her passengers — Messrs Brewer and Evans — have been appointed as delegates from certain gentlemen in Melbourne, who are desirous of forming a company, the objects of which will be best explained by the subjoined charter, which they brought with them, and copies of which have been given to several gentlemen here : —

"Know all men by these presents, that I, King Thakobau, of the Feejee group of islands, in consideration of William Harry O'Halloran Brewer- and John Lavington Evans, of Melbourne, in the colony of Victoria, now on a visit to me as delegates and agents, appointed for and on behalf of a certain company about to be formed in the Baid colony, under 'The Companies Statute, 186*1,' hereby undertaking for and on behalf of such company, and, immediately after its formation, to make suitable provision for the settlement of a claim of £10,000, or thereabouts, preferred against me as such king by, or on behalf of the Government of the United States of America, for losses said to have been sustained by certain American subjects who resided in my kingdom, owing to certain alleged depredations and acts of incendiarism, committed and caused by my native i subjects, and which said claim the said | Government of the United States of I America are now threatening to enforce. 1 And, also, in consideration of the said William Harry O'Hallaron Brewer and John Lavington Evans, as delegates and agents of such intended company, further undertaking immediately after tho formation of the said company; to pay me, the said King, the annuity j,or yearly sum of £200 sterling, and to each of my chiefs the yearly sum of of £ • sterling. And, also, in consideration of such delegates undertaking that, the said company will at all times after its formation, well and truly aid and assist me in upholding and defendingmy said kingdom, do by these presents for ever grant, cede, transfer, and set over, unto the said William Harry O'Halloran Brewer and John Lavington Evans, and also Andrew Lyell and Frederick Cook,- of Melbourne, aforesaid gentlemen, (hereafter respectively called " trustees,") for, and on behalf of the said intended company, the several islands, part of islands, and other territory in Feegee^(forming part of my kingdom), which are respectively mentioned and Bet forth in the schedule hereunder written : together with the soil or bed of all seas, rivers, and waters adjacent to or abutting on the said scheduled territory, or any part or parts thereof ; and all harbours, seas, rivers, creeks, and inlets thereunto belonging or appertaining, or which the said " trustees" or the said intended company may now or hereafter think necessary for the settlement and enjoyment of the said scheduled territory, or any part or parts thereof, and also all mines and minerals in^or upon the same. And I, the said King, do hereby also grant and give unto the said trustees, for and on behalf of the said intended company, and the said intended company, the sole and exclusive right to impose and levy such duties of Customs as to them may seem fit on the exportation from or importation into any part of my Kingdom of any goods, wares, and merchandise whatsoever, with full power to impose and levy wharfage and harbour dues, And also the sole and exclusive right to establish in any part or parts of my kingdom banking institutions, and the sole and exclusive right to issue and circulate throughout all or any part of my kingdom bank notes. And I, the said King, do hereby pledge myself and my successors not hereafter to sell, alienate, or cede to any person or persons whomsoever any part or parts of my territory, without previously offering the same to the said intended company, and giving such company the option and preferential privilege of acquiring the same. And I, the said King, do hereby grant and give unto the said intended company full power and absolute authority from time to time to ordain and make all such laws for the good government and welfare of the natives, inhabitants, settlers, and people for the time being onthe said scheduled lands, and any other portion of the land forming part of my kingdom, which may hereafter be acquired as aforesaid, as such company shall consider just, equitable, and right. And also all such lands as the said intended company may think necessary as proper to regulate the trade ahd commerce of my said kingdom, or of such islands or other portions of my teiritory as now are, or may hereafter be inhabited by white populations, or that of a mixed one. And to establish Courts of Justice, and to appoint Judges and Magistrates, and other officers, to administer and execute such laws. And I, the said King, hereby solemnly pledge myself to uphold and defend such laws, 'and to protect the inhabitants and settlers for the time being of the lands belonging to the said intended company, and the property and effects of such inhabitants and settlers from native or other violence, molestation, interference, attacks, pillages, and robberies, either from within or without. And I, the said King, hereby further undertake to procure to be cleared and planted with sea island cotton for the benefit ofthe said company, without delay, and without charge of any kind, acres of the said scheduled lands, at sueh places, and at such times as the said trustees, or the said intended company, shall direct or appoint. " In witness whereof, I, the said King, have hereunto set my hand and seal, the twenty-third day of May, A.D. 1868. — (Signed, &c.) i His " Ebenezeb ( (xj) Thakobau," mark On their part they engage Ist, to pay off the American debt of 45,000 dollars. 2nd. Give Thakobau an annuity of £200, and continue it to his son who may succeed him. 3rd. Aid and assist him in upholding and defending his kingdom by supplying him with an armed steamer whenever he may require one. 4th. Take one of his sons to Melbourne to be educated. For all this the Chief engages Ist, to make over to the Company 200,000 acres of land in different parts of Fiji. 2nd. Grants to them a banking monopoly. 3rd. A pre-emptive right to all lands in his territory. But it will be seen that there are many

other things in the so-called charter which Thakobau has no power to grant — privileges which it has only been assumed by the promoters of the company that he had, and could therefore bestow. According to the document they were to have an " exclusive right of imposing and levying duties of Customs," &c, &c, "in any patt" of Thakobau's "kingdom." When this became known to the white residents here it created such a commotion that the delegates were led to insert the. following clause : — " Be it understood that all privileges, grants, concessions, &c, conferred by this charter, with the exception of the banking monopoly, shall be understood only to refer to the lands in the schedule annexed or hereafter' to be acquired by the company." On the same day upon which this note appeared, which curtails materially the powers of the intended company, a vigorous protest was sent to Thakobau, and also published in the British Consulate by H.M. acting Consul against any further action in the matter — as well as against that which had already been done — until the arrival of the Commodore. He, denies them the right . to make taxes and levy the same upon British subjects, denies them the right of making and executing laws which may effect the interests of British subjects, especially as by the document those powers would be unlimitedj even such as the " company shall consider just, equitable, and right." -In fact, he denies the company the rights of . sovereignty, or of their, assuming the same. The whole affair is fraught with the utmost importsnce to Fiji, and in consequence causes much excitement. The old king seems like a new man now that he believes that there is an end of tfAe difficulty of his life, and when it was represented to him how that the charter seriously affected the liberties of the white residents, he laughed and said, " O you papalagis (foreigners) are as deep as the sea and can well look after yourselves. Your * Consul will see to your interests. What I wish to be clear to me is, what I have to do for them and what they have to do for me." Thakobau is right j we have no fears as to the result. The intended company, if they do not press for powers which the white residents detest and will not submit to, may be a success and a great benefit to Fiji and the colonies, making these islands the West Indies of the colonies ; but if the delegates persist in their at-, tempts to acquire sovereign powers the opposition of the Consul and the majority of the white residents will overturn the whole project. The commerce of Fiji has hitherto been a monoply confined to a very few. We are now in a transition state, and we scarcely know how we shall come out. It seems probable that #it will be a. monopoly still, but one, instead, of being in the hands of a small number, will spread its benefits over the interests qf the many, so that, whether it is to be company or no company, the steady immigration of respectable and moneyed settlers into the group will very shortly make Fiji a place of importance. - : -j : The Wesley arrived at Kadava with sixteen passengers, all well, on Sunday, .the 10th of May, after a stormy passage. Whilst beating to anchorage she smashed her rudder against a shoaL , She is. still there (28th), getting a new one fitted. The Gem arrived on the 22nd.

.Another correspondent writes :— The accompanying charter will show you the object of the visit. It was signed on board the Albion (s.), in the presence of the King's principal chief and the missionaries who kindly translated the document to Thakombau, he having been made thoroughly acquainted with the instrument. This relieves him of an immense pressure, and not only he but the whole island, as there was nodoubt . had not some arrangement of the sort have been made, the group would have had the American flag flying over them in a very short time. Of course a business of this magnitude could not have been done without causing the anger of some, and gratitude from others. And just in this position we find ourselves at present. The settlers — the thew and sinew of the country— are with us to a man, as they know well now they will get a fair price for their produce. The land up to now has been a sort of slave to pay the enormous interest the poor struggler laboured under. "When our bank will be established, it will have comparative "rest. What I mean to convey, is that if the settler can live now under the present law, that under other arrangements *he will do well. What is wanted here is labor, and lam glad to say this is being provided. A capitalist has made it his duty to inform himself of the capabilities of the country to absorb it, and when men are found (planters) to order a hundred, another sixty, forty, and so on, it is not to be wondered at if a few cargoes of Chinese labor will be brought here. The cotton crop looks well ; but the 'staple production of the whole group will be by-and-bye sugar, for the growth of which Fiji is admirably adapted. Were large sugar machines introduced, all the planters at the Re«a would change their crop to the saccharine Btem ; and as Mauritius is. very nearly worked out, these islands step in and form a most important aid in seasons, that will soon prove ones of great scarcity, as far as Mauritius is concerned. Nearly all the Albion's passengers will be on s their land in about ten days. The large island of Viti Levu seems the great attraction. There is a rumor that gold has been discovered. Copper, it is well known, exists, and iron sand in immense quantities. At present no indications of coal have turned up. The missionaries have done, and are doing, great good throughout the islands, and there is scarcely an island in the group, if we except the centre of the large land, where one might not go in perfect security. > Levuka, Ovalau, Fiji, May 27, 1868,