NOTES FROM FIJIAN PAPERS

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 169, 24 April 1872, Page 3

NOTES FROM FIJIAN PAPERS

A LETTER appeared in tho Gazclic from Mr Burt to the King, tendering the resignation of his position in the Ministry. We have heard that. the resignation has been accepted, but its acceptance has not yet been made public.

The Lcvuka Rifle Association is progressing very favourably. The roll of members is increasing constantly, and a a large number are to be proposed for membership at the next meeting. The range on Mount Vernon has been measured into distances, and temporary butts erected for practice, and an order has been sent to the colonics for a proper , target. The gentlemen who are at the head of the association are determined "it shall prosper, and arc working energetically with that object in view. We learn that Captain Fitzgerald, ,tho Fiji Major of Brigade, is abo3t to proceed to the back pfLOvalau, foi: the purpose of organising a hative force. s,

A robbery was committed on the premises of Bushell and Horning. It appears that for sevenvL days they had been housing and feeding a man of the name of llaydcu,xwho secured the keys by some means, and abstracted the money from tho cash box to the jpnount of £93 in gold and silv.cr, replacing the cash box, and restoring the keys. The theft was soon discovered, and the thief detccteihaby somc marked a JSait of‘the property, being pasafe4|by. him before, oiie of tlnflosc*g& t ‘Qnrehhiiffiav rtjo'rwl'ng, 2nd March jat 11 -f ;Welock»&kpbgjjr received tluf officers of ' .-H.f.Gln s.s, Nyrpphc, at tho Government offices. Just pievious to that hour tho white police, under arms, to the number of about nine, marched along the beach and took up a position at the top of the steps, as also did a body of a dozen natives, likewise under arms. In the cutting there was also another body of natives, to the number of about twenty. These were all the troops. Cukobau entered the building, being accompanied b}* bis private secretary and several gentlemen, and shortly afterwards the. officers of the Nymplie arrived, and were duly presented to the King. In the afternoon the King, the members of bis Govermnont, the Mayor, and several others proceeded to the vessel, where they remained for some considerable time. Upon leaving the vessel, a salute of 21 gnu was fired.

The following “ manifesto ” has been issued, and signed by British and other white residents of Fiji :—“Declaration of Freedom.—We, white residents of Fiji, solemnly declare that we do not, and will not, recognise or countenance in any degree whatever, the right of a few British subjects forming the so-called Government of Fiji, at Levuka, to coerce their countrymen, or any white man, into obedience to tlieir assumed authority, for the reasons following:—l. Because we now have it, upon high official and legal authorities, that British subjects can have no right whatever to constitute themselves a Government without the leave or license of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain. 2. Because it would he a violation of the laws of our respective nations if wo assisted, directly or indirectly, in giving effect to any such assumption of power. Wo, the undersigned, therefore pledge ourselves to protect each other against any attempt of the so-called Government to collect taxes, or to restrain any or.e of ns from the free exercise of our rights, pending the decision of the British Government in reference to the so-called Government of Fiji. British and other white residents who may not join in this manifesto are earnestly enjoined to abstain from interfering with the rights or with the freedom of other British subjects, or those of white residents. Filially, we invite all British subjects, and the white residents generally, to unite in this movement for our mutual protection.” The opposition of the people of Levuka to the Government has assumed a new phase. The deputations sent to Cakobau, asking him to dismiss the ministers and order a general election, was met by his Fijian Majesty with a reference to “his responsible advisers,” who declined committing political suicide. The disappointed deputation returned to Levuka from Bau, and an indignation meeting was at once held. The British Settlers’ Mutua Protection Society also issued a manifesto, declaring that they would not recognise a Government constituted by a coup <]' chit, but would stand upon tlieir rights as British subjects, and recognise only tho jurisdiction of the British Consul. Tho subscribers to this manifesto pledged themselves to mutual support, and invited those of their fellow citizens who disagreed with them, not to interfere between them and the Government, whom they had determined, in the interests of tho country to resist. A few days after the issue of the manifesto, their resolution was put to the test. A settler arrived in Levuka to report that ho had been forced to shoot a Fijian chief in selfdefence. The Government ordered his arrest, but tho Society turned out 75 armed men, and refused to lot the Government interfere, and handed the settler over to the British Consul for trial. The papers declare there can he no peace till the Government is reconstructed, the expense reduced, and the management placed in the hands of people possessing the confidence of the settlers. Some of the present Government are popular, but others are objected to in the strongest terms. There is no other news of importance in the papers just received.