FIJI NEWS.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 103, 23 May 1885, Page 3

FIJI NEWS.

(I'm: Schooner Louie.) Suva, May 4. Our, old friend the Hero is to make her last appearance at Suva during the current week, being due from Melbourno, via Suva, on Thursday next, leaving on return voyage two days later. Her place will be taken by some smaller vessel bolonging to the Union Company'? fleet, the trade not warranting the keeping ot a ressel of the Hero'e tonnage on the line. Since tho fall in sugar, all the large mills have been reducing their staff of mechanics, who, with the hope of better times, have gravitated to Suva, which place has now become quito a depot for the unemployed ; more than 30 of mich being there at the present time, principally carpenters. The ship Main arrived from Calcutta on May 2nd with 500 coolies. It is not often that we hear of any good results from the smoking of a cigar, but one instance of tho kind has been brought before our notice. A few days ago, Mr Groenshields was sitting in his rookery, and being in a " brown study," he thought he would indulge in a smoke. While enjoy- 1 ing the soothing influence of tho weed, he was critically examining an old pair of braces, and jumping up, he joyfully ex- | claimed, " Eureka ! Eureka !" At once j setting to work, in an hour or two lie produced a new kind of suspender which, he has no hesitation in stating, is superior to the celebrated American "Argosy," which has been all the rage for the last year ! or two, as well as the N.Z. " Diamond," i which has just been patented in England. | With next mail Mr Greenshields sends j samples to a manufacturer in England for the purpose of getting them patented in Europe. We may state that we have seen the new invention, and certainly it appears f« fc,«0.1l that is represented. * j News comes from the Mticuata Coast of ! a murder said to have been committed at a town named Manukalau by a Fijian named Nabiri, the victim being a youth of 18, a relation of the Mali, the Buli of the district. It is stated that tho accused, who is a man of rank, was jealous of the Buli, whom he had threatened to kill ; but, being prevented from doing so, he clubbed the deceased as a substitute. He was ai rested and oonveyed to Savu Savu, but on the j way made a murderous attack upon his guards. Proposed Annexation to New Zealand. A meeting attended by almost every influential sottlcr on Taviuni was held at Wuiriki, on Wednesday, April 15th, convened by Air Walter Hunter, in response to the circular forwarded from the Levuka Annexation Committee. Mr Hunter was voted to the chair, and in a lengthy speech warmly endorsed the policy initiated by the Levuka meeting, of using every exertion to secure annexation to New Zealand ; pointing out I the special advantages that annexation to ' thatcolony would offer as compared with tbo j older colonies of Australasia. Mr Raukine Wilson then proposed the Ist resolution, j "That this meeting earnestly supports the resolutions passed at the public meeting in Levuka, with reference to the annexa tion of Fiji to New Zealand, and pledge? iteo'f to heartily co operate in endeavouring to carry the same to a successful issue/, An amendment declaring that annexation to New Zealand was inadvisable, did not find a seconder, and the motion was unanimously adopted. A committee was appointed to support the Levuka Commission in carrying out the agitation to secure an exchange in the present form of Government of this colony.