FIJI

Southland Times, Issue 1307, 13 September 1870, Page 3

FIJI

By the arrival at Auckland of the schooner William and Julh, from Fiji, we have intelligence to the 30th July. Messrs Groom J3ros. were burnt out of their homestead on the Island of Kabaia on the 20bh instant. The origin of the fire, as in most cases of a similar kind, is unknown. Messrs Groom lost all their clothe 3, cotton, stores, tools, &c. Captain Hill, of Vuna, has just returned from Tonga, having completed the purchase from the Government of that group of the large and fine Island of Babi, situated near Taviuni. This is the last piece of territory held in Fiji by the Tongans. Cakabau and his Court arrived from Bau at the early part of the week, and are at present amusing themselves in Levuka. The Bussian Imperial corvette Boyarin dropped anchor at Levuka on Sunday morning, from Sydney. She is a remarkably powerful looking ship of her class, with great beam. She was built in Cronstadt, and is a vessel of 762 tons and 200-horse power. She carries seven rifled guns, made in Russia, from cast steel ; of these, three work on pivots, and are of large dimensions, being made for projectiles weighing lOOlbs. ; the four smaller guns are 12-pounder3. The guns are all breach-loaders, and fired with prismatical powder. She has on board a complement of 23 officers and 168 men. The Boyarin left Cronstadt on the 17th October, 1869, and on her way visited i Copenhagen, Christianßand, Harwich, Brest, the Cape Verde Islands, Bahia, the Cape of Good Hope, Adelaide, Hobart Town, and Sydney. She belongs to the Busaian Pacific Squadron, and cleared I/svuka harbor on Wednesday morning for Japan and the Bussian possessions in Siberia. Fiji and its possible annexation to the United States formed the subject of discussion at the Merchants' Exchange, San Francisco, we learn from the Bulletin, on the 21st April. The meeting, which was held informally, and was not very largely attended, had been called for the purpose of . listening to some statements from George Winters, a resident of the Fiji Islands, who had just arrived in the city. Mr Winters addressed the meeting at considerable length. He had been a resident during the past eight years in th© Island of Yiti Leva, one of the largest of the Fiji group. He had become the owner of 100,t)00 acres of land on that island, and had been successful in woolraising and other business enterprises. The Polynesia Society at Melbourne, he stated, had taken preliminary measures to pay off the debt of the islands due to the United States, about 40,000 dollars, and to take in return the title to 200,000 acres of land, which the King and the European citizens combined were prepared to secure. This society desired the United States to raise the stars and stripes over the islands, and to either annex them or to establish an American protectorate over them, and there was a general feeling in favor of annexation — although i!t was not universal. From the south-west coast of Viti Levu we learn of the death of a man named Malony, under very suspicious circumstances. It would seem from information supplied to us that the deceased Malony and one Gurney were at the plantation of Messrs. Work and Byrne on the 4th July, together with three other men named J. Dyer, King, and French Frank (an Italian) ; the bottle seems to have passed pretty freely, which in the end resulted in the deceased receiving a severe beating and a deep wound on the back of his shoulder. On the following Saturday, Malony came to the plantation of Mr Gurney, where he became seriously ill, and died shortly afterwards. On examination of the body previous to burial, the entire back of the deceased was perfectly black from bruises, with a wound three inches deep under the right shoulder, the mortification of which terminated the unfortunate man's life. The three persons on the spot, Messrs. Bounds, Farrell, and Gurney, held an inquiry, with the following result : — That the deceased, John Malony, came by his death through a severe and brutal beating on the 4th July, at the plantation of j Messrs. Work and Byrne, but by whom we are unable to state, and we are of opinion that stepg should be taken, either by the English or American Consuls, to I investigate the matter. A meeting was held on the 25th, to consider the establishment of a steam service amongst the islands. Mr S. C. Burt in the chair. The chairman said that consequent on the poor communication now in existence, the out-settlers were often kept a considerable time without their letters and newspapers, and business altogether Jwas interfered with for the want of quick and regular communication; one or two small steamers to start with, and afterwards a line might be established to New Zealand to connect us with the San Francisco route. The following resolutions were carried : — " That the time has now arrived that, to facilitate the trade and passenger trafiic amongst these islands, the introduction of steam would be a great public benefit to the residents in the Fijis, and j to carry out this project it is deemed advisable by this meeting to form a Steam Navigation Company, whose object shall be to issue shares to planters, merchants, and the public at large, at the rate of £ L 0 per share, for the purpose of purchasing a steamer or steamers, and for generally conducting the business of a steam service." — " That a provisional directory be at once formed to carry out the object of the first resolution." — " That the number of the provisional directors be six, to consist of the following gentlemen : — Messrs F. Hennings, W. Eeece, J. C. Smith, S.;C. Burt,H. D. Gundry, and E. Hamilton."— CaptainDunean understood that a steamer was to arrive shortly from Auckland for Messrs Hennings. It would be well for the meeting to know if such was the case, — Mr F. Hennings said that an

order had been sent to Auckland by the Cleopatra to send a steamer down named the Jane, as a likely market for her sale or charter ; but whether the vessel would arrive he could not say — perhaps yes or no. If she arrived she would be available for charter. — Captain Duncan said he " knew " the Jane, and took exception as to her condition, rate of speed, &c. — Mr Hennings said he knew little of the vessel, but should she arrive the people in Fiji would be sharp enough and able to judge for themselves. She was fitted with two eight-horse power engines, and drew five feet of water.