FIJIAN NEWS. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Political Summary.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 128, 14 November 1885, Page 7

FIJIAN NEWS. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Political Summary.

Lbvuka, October 29. The month has been a busy one in this particular. The Legislative Council has been in session, and the Estimates have been duly passed. They came down, first of all, at £84,274, and without any word of comment from the Administrator. Hitherto it has been the practice to forward with them an explanatory message from the Governor, remarking on detail and generally blowing the trumpet as to progress and Prosperity, On this occasion the two .'s are conspicuously absent from the picture, and evidently the Administrator thought that the least said might be soonest mended. The figures of Estimates were £12,464 less than those for the year now current, but the unofficiale went down pledged to retrenchment, and after holding a caucus meeting notified the Government that they would vote £75,000, and not a penny beyond. Rather coolwhen the President of the Council holds the controlling vote, and has used it before now to carry his measures, clause by clause, in despite of the solid opposition. But, to Mr Thurston's credit be it said, he met the unofficial fairly. He called an Executive meeting, re-cast the Estimates, knocked off about £5,000, explained the difficulty of going further, and not only carried his budget without division, but pleased all parties by his evident deaire to conciliate. The figures now stand: — Anticipated revenue, £84,575, as against £100,050 for 1885; expenditure, £80,660 9s lOd, as against £96,738 for the year now current. The reductions are very considerable, but it is generally held that the still greater falling off in revenue will make necessary still further retrenchment. To effect what has been done, many of the more recently appointed Civil Servants are to go to the right about, and expenditure on public works is reduced to less than £4,000. An effort was made to dislodge the "cadets" thrust on the colony by the Colonial Office, but this was unsuccessful, as they hold appointments under special arrangement with the Imperial Government So also with the Governor's salary ; but while the un officials were unable to reduce this, the officials allowed them to pass, without opposition, a protest against it, and the Administrator allowed it to be understood that he knew our absentee Governor would not be permitted to draw his balf-pay. Verily it is a wholesome and a pleasing thought.

Legislation to Suit the Times. His Honor has been keeping his Nasova word. He has not only reduced the Polynesian introduction coat to £15 from £25, but at this last meeting he has passed an ordinance to facilitate the re-indenture of time-expirore. The principle is that they may be re engaged and paid off before the Magistrate of the district in which they are to work, instead of being hailed from every part of the group to Suva. His Honor has also moved to repeal the obnoxious native labour ordinance of 1883, with a view to substituting other provisions making this labour supply more easily available. For all these evidences of a disposition to help the people in their time of need he is duly commended. But his crowning mercy, his special act of consideration, is the introduction of (1) a New Bankruptcy Ordinance, (2) an ordin ance touching imprisonment for debt, and these have been forwarded to the Chamber of Commerce, so that, those more particularly interested may have an opportunity to offer suggestions 1 Therefore do the people cry "Vive le Administratcur '"

Alterations in the Tariff. Certain of these have been effected, but they are neither many nor important. The spirit duty has been advanced from 12a to 14s per gallon ; that on tobacco has followed from 3s to 4s ; so that His Honor does not mean men to drink or smoke for nothing. Rice also has been advanced from 10s per ton to 40s, just to get an official finger on the long stocking of Rainee, Samee, and Co. These people, it is asserted, are becoming bloated plutocrats, and report does say, I know not how true, that there is more money standing to credit of Indian coolies in the Bank of New Zealand, Suva, than there is to that of European. Possibly that might be without Rainee and Co. being overburdened with riches. But I must not forget to mention one other important particular, in which the tariff has been amended. His Honor, thoughtful for the comfort of the struggling colonists, and desirous that each unfortunate devil should at least enjoy the opportunity of making a little sheol for himself, has taken the tax off sulphur.

Jubilatory. This last remark most naturally suggests reference to the Jubilee Commemoration of the introduction of Christianity into the group by the members of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, which is now in active progress. The event itself took place on October 12th, 1835, when the Rev. William Cross and the Rev. David Cargill, with their devoted wives, landed at Lakeba from Tonga. In a sketchy letter such as this, I will not attempt to trace the progress of the work, or even to revert to the unutterable horrors of heathenism by which the pioneer members ot the mission were surrounded, and against which they for so many years contended. But the results are all around us, in a land reclaimed and made habitable. All that Fiji has and is it owes directly or indirectly to the mission, and it is but right to aay that every man of honest thought and earnest purpose will instinctively uncover his head and stand reverently in the presence of the great work which has been so nobly achieved. The Wesleyan Mission haa üßed its grand opportunity most worthily. It has done what the Government never would and never could havfl done. It has placed its preachers in every village throughout the group, and whereaover it has placed a preacher there it has placed a secular teacher, so that to-day it has 1,845 day schools open, which are attended by 50,000 scholars. The jubilee services have been held with great success at Matailobau, where 2,000 natives attended; at Revva, where 1,500 were present ; and here in Levuka, where on Sunday last your Mr Reid and Dr. Kelynack, of Sydney, preached in the Theatre to the largest European congregation ever assembled in the group. The Rev. A. K.eid goes back to you by this boat, but it will be loDg before the recollection of the intellectual pleasure of listening to him will fade from the memory of his Levuka hearers.

Lachrymatory. In contrast to the gladness of those who revel in the possession of riches incorruptible and that fade not away, is the dejection of the fruit-shippers, who have recently been subjected to a very heavy loss through the quarantining of the Sydney boat. She was nearly a week behind her time, as she came down dead slow in expectation of her fate. But ug to her

I time very heavy shipments of fruit were awaiting her, a considerable portion of it being case fruit, pines, &c. When the boat did come she .was detained for eight days more, by which time not a pine or a banana was fit for shipment. It entailed a dead loss, and it falls the heavier at the time of general depression.