THE ALLEGED BIBLE-BURNING IN FIJI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 97, 22 April 1903, Page 4

THE ALLEGED BIBLE-BURNING IN FIJI.

(Communicated.) A nv weeks ago your cable columns Wire filled, day after day, with detai's of an alleged outrage on the religious feelings of Fiji Protestants, said to have been perpetrated by the Catholics ef that colony. It was asserted that Bibbs had been publicly burned by Catholic priestf, under circumstances tf deliberate aggtavation and insult; that the passions of Wesl-yan Fijians bad been kindled, and th*tan outbreak was to be feared. Moreover it was freely stated tbat the fact of a Catholic Governor rulirg in Fiji was the main factor in the incident, and that the removal of Sir Hecry M. Jackson Would alone allay the irritation, and prevent serious consequences. In in to be noticed that the 1 istern Pacific Bmrald, the Government mouthpiece,' published in Suva, was the font et origo ef these sensational, end, as it cow ap-1 pears, mendacious yarns, which were not re-echoed by either of the otber two papers published in Fiji. In fact the Polyrutian Gazette, published in Levuka, discredi ed them from tha first. What then was the reason for the invention of these end judicious statements in Suva ? T< is : s not far to saek.. Hia Exc-1, uc y the Governor of Fij,.d: parting from the Old traditions of the "so whiteman's land," invented a-d fostered by Lord Stanmore (formerly Sir Arthur Gordon), and on which the whole system of the Crown colony of a mere type under which Fiji groans, is about to recommend that an elective Legislative Council be established in that colony. This means the abolition of the nominee system which now prevails, and with it the cessation of the tyrannic rule of officials, and the state of abject servitude under which the native race is now ground do«n and steadily perishing off the face of the earth. The result is that Fiji offi il- - (the Alludyce party) regards Sir Henry Jackson as the common enemy, and the alleged Bible-burniDg is a cunningly devised plot to endeavour to force his removal. Suva, as the official eeotre, is the hot bed of plots such as these.

Copies of the Polynesion Gazette, to hand, show that the accounts of this incident, received here, have been grossly exaggerated and that at the request of a large numb- r of leading citizens the warden of Lpvukt is oiling a public meeting to protest against the action of those who are seeking to remove and discredit Sir Henry Jackson on account of h;s religious views. It is much to be regretted that efiorts have been made to stir up bitter religious feeling on very inaccurate information. The only oce who appears to bave kept his head and deprecated any! hasty action, U the Rev. W. Slade ktely, if not still,in New Zeahnd. He, knowing the condition of thote uohappy Islands, has helped largely to alliy the alarm and indignation which \ were caused by the first news of the incident that reached this colony.