FIJIAN AFFAXRS.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3729, 7 December 1880, Page 2

FIJIAN AFFAXRS.

(FROM OUR OWK COBBESPONDBHT.) Levuka, 27th November, 1880. Anything more . inglorious than the departure of His Excellency the honorable : Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon, G.C.IC.G., was never witnessed. Although all the Civil Servants had orders, to be present, there were bat two official boats alongside the " Oeetn Queen " when he left Levuka harbour, and one of these was the Police boat. There was not one nonofficial boat—not a cheer~nota wave of the hand—nothing to expresf regret at our parting with so priceless a boon. Ai .. soon as he was outside the harbor, red ensigns were ran up, and there were signs of rejoicing. One, could almost hear the sigh of relief as the Ocean Queen carried her precious freight, out of sight. Never in this world has a Governor been more cordially hated, snd we think with cause. Ho has been the stumbling block in the* way of Fiji's advancement, and, has done his utmost to retard its progress. He obstinately refnsed to import Polynesian labor until he saw what useless objects bis coolies were, and he now finds that any number of Polynesians can be easilyobtained. He has steadfastly set his faceagainst the introduction of capital, and. actually drove Messrs Spence brothers from Fiji with their £20,000. He hat refused to sell Crown Lands to Ceyloa planters, and thereby prerented the country from progressing. He has pan> pered the chiefs—not the natiyes- "Until , we shall have trouble with the native* by-and-bye, and blood will very probably be shed. He has endeavored in the carrying oat of his scheme to prove several planters to be murderers, but the ca^f of of Lieut. Chippindali will pat an ejiAto this piece of tyrany. He has reduefHoie native Fijian to the most abject servitude and he may not know that his order to collect the native tares, the Rokos thrash the Xai-ii'i (slaves) with a " cat," which draws blood at almost every stroke. The working of his. Native Taxation Scheme is also* rapidly decreasing the number of the native population, and Sir Arthur himself will not deny that it is. decreasing. He chose for his officials men whom he could mould, to his own way of thinking ; any independent man was at oace removed from his path. Imports and exports have, both decreased of late, and the former are less now than they were three yean ago. Revenue is also very little greater than it was in 1876, as now a fictitious amount is shown by crediting and debiting £90,000 a year paid and received on account of labor. ' His removing the capital to Sivs to/the injury of Levuka is condemned by all colonists alike, except perhaps the two or three who own land at the former place. He has thrown every possible obstacle in the way of Levuka advancing, and would not sanction the spending «f money to improve the town or to \nftA a ichool house. He bas most JBtoroDerlv constituted himself, the reprJUtstim o> the Queen, the Judge of & tSsBuT Appeal. Court in 4tsp«teTbetwee» claimants and the; Gfown. NwnberTof •ettJ^is have in tftoie circumstances been most unjustly and iniquitously defrauded of their rights, but only temporarily, as the most unsatisfactory settlement (F)

of the claims cannot be allowed to exist in its present state. Mo9t determined attempts have been made by bis officials to ruin contumelious planters and all their tyrannous acts have been upheld by His Excellency. Private conversation at dinner tables were always retailed to him at his own request, and by a man who would descend even to crime to please him. The Superintendent of Police goes into the Post Office when the English mail is being made up and examines all the correspondence, and this fact may 4 account for so many letters having miscarried which were posted in Fiji. If proof were wanting of the unpopularity of Sir A. Gordon it was conclusively shown at the meeting at Nasora, when he said " farewell," where no one proposed a vote of thanks to him. Iv that speech he attacked the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, but the Chairman has since then more than explained the unjustifiableness of His Excellency's remarks ; he has proved that his statements were mendacious. He had an address presented to him before he left from the Wesleyan Missionaries which they say was intended as irony, and Chief Justice Gorrie got up another most fulsome one from the members of the Legislative Council, which merely represented official opinion. There is notone single advantage which this colony enjoys that is due in the slightest degree to Sir Arthur Gordon, but there are numberless troubles we have had to meet which were entirely of his own making. We shall erer feel grateful to the colony that relieved us of our incumbrance, and we can now with much more confidence extend the right hand of friendship towards all our neighbors. Mr Dos Vous may expect a very sincere and hearty welcome as soon as he sets foot on Fiji soil, and the outside world will soon now become better acquainted with us. The Sewa land took place on Monday last.^when the Levuka merchants were the principal buyers—only £3000 or £4.000 were realised.

The Southern Cross made a fast trip down this month, but we hope shortly that a larger steamer will replace her to accommodate the greatly increasing traffic. Our letters were but six weeks and five days from London—a great improvement on the Sydney route. The measles, which broke out here some time ago, have all but disappeared. They appear to have been of a different type to those which visited Fiji some five or six years'a go, or else the Fijians have become less susceptible. Building in Lavuka appears to have received a check at last. Except the Fiji Times office, which is an enormous structure, there are very few erections going up at present.