FEDERATION WITH FIJI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 207, 26 October 1900, Page 2

FEDERATION WITH FIJI.

SOME INTERESTING PARTICULARS. A REPRESENTATIVE of the DAILY NEWS recently had a conversation with Mr. j Samuel regarding his late trip to the South Sea Islands. In the course of the conversation, Mr. Samuel expressed the opinion that the idea of New Zealand federating with Fjji was rediculous, As Mr, Samuel is a mail of considerable experience of public aftairs, was formerly a member of Parliament, and is in every way fitted to form an intelligent opinion, his views on thiß important subject should be of interest. In passing, we may remark that since the conversation referred to, both the (Tpper and Lower Houses of the New Zealand Parliament have, by very large majorities, pused resolutions in favour of the federation of New Zealand and Fiji. Mr. Samuel's views, as summarised by our representative, are briefly as follows: —The white population of Fiji is Under 3000, and consists of Government officials, sugar planters, and employees of the sugar company. They are cot really the people of Fiji in the same sensS jas the white population of New Zealand and the Australian colonies. Fiji is a Grown colony, and the whole of the administration is in the band* of the Governor, who is appointed by the British Government. The population of the colony who have the real right to express an opinion on the question of federation, are the aboriginal natives, who number some 90,000 souls. These people, Mr. Samuel says, are absolutely indifferent on the question. They are subject to very many restrictions, the colony beiDg divided up into distiicts, each district being administered by a magistrate appointwl by the Governor, assisted by native assessors. Every Fijian has to pay a poll-tax of £1 4s per annum, the law beicg rigidly enforced and the poll-tax collected by a very strong body of native police. In Mr. Samuel's opinion, the native population is completely heart-broken, and appear to be absolutely hepe'ess regarding the future, Another trouble and possibly danger in the future, is the growing number of coolies. These people number some 12,000, and are mostly .Hindoos, imported to work on the sugar plantations. They a e all admitted under license, the sum of £lB per head being deposited with the Government for each one. They are engaged for a term of five years, and if not re-engaged the £lB is used foi smding them back home again. Ir most cases they are re-engaged and th< entrance fee retained, the Government thus ho'ding large sums of monej belonging to the planters or tha sugai campiny. Many of the-e people, Mr Samuel says, are buying land ant settling down in the colony, but hi never heard any of them expressing i desire for federation. These coolies d< not mix with the native population and in many cases bring their owr women with them. At times the] become very unruly and have to b< kept in order with very firm and steri measures. The real agitators fo; Federation are the few white settler who really have no stake in th< country. Regarding the prospects o trade, Mr. Samuel does not consider i very encouraging. Nearly all Fiji hai to export comes to New Zealand, sucl as sugar and fruit, bat Fiji take very little from New Zealand most of her imports being from Nev South Wales. Mr, Samuel can not see how New Zealand can hope t< compete, as o'othing, furniture, an< other necessaries of life are already fai cheaper in Fiji than they are in Nev Zealand, Although favourably im pressed with soil and climate, Mr Samuel considers sugar growing wil always be the staple industry, and thii will not be conducive to a large whiti population. The native Fijian wil not work in the sugar fields, and thi white man c innot, so that coolie labou must be employed. A s' art has beei made with growing tea with very sue cessful results, Mr. Samuel speaking ii very high terms of its quali y an< flavour. Tob cco is also grown witl successful results, and really first-clas cigars are now being manufactured ii the group. The federation of Nev Zealand and Fiji would, in Mr. Samuel' opinion, very largely ii.cre ;se New Zea land's responsibilities, « ithout sufficien compensating advantages, and, on tin whole, he is inolined to consider it ai expensive luxury which New Zealarn can very well do without. Mr. Samue also had a good deal to say regarding the social and moral condition of botl white and coloured inhabitants, fron which, it is evident, thero is room f i some improvement. Of the Fi«i native? Mr. Samuel speaks very highly, but ii common with all the natives of thesi southern seas, they are decreasing vor; fast bafora the advent of tho whit< races. Mr. Satnuol attended severn sittings of the local Courts, and \va struck with the fact t hat nearly all tlv ases heard were for breaches of tin sanitary and social hws, such as om would expect to see in a highly civilisec community, instead of amongst a pi>op'< who havo comparatively lately emeigei from a savage state. This gives a goor idea of the artificial condition of t! ings

The Governor is a good, capable, and intelligent man, anxious to, as far as he is able, improve the condition of the colony, but his difficulties are very great, there is no jury system, ami there are a very large number of prisonerslarge numbers of them for neglecting to pay the poll tax. There is a good deal of dissatisfaotion all round, and j the feeling regarding Fed* ation is that