THE FIJIS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 54, 20 February 1869, Page 3

THE FIJIS.

(From, our own Gorrespon^'it. ) Levuka, Ovalau, Jan. 18, 1869.

I send this per cutter Lapwing, Captain Frazer, who has prolonged Ms stay in this group to five month?. The fine Boston schooner Lovet Peacock, Captain Dawson, arrived here on the 6th ult., after a fine passage of eleven days from Dunedin (the shortest one on record), bringing forty- two. passengers, including Messrs. Moss and Taylor, who had visited us in the Banshee some few months back. Mr. Moss brought his wife and family, lie and Mr. Nathaniel Chalmers have settled on the Kewa river, Yiti Levu. I saw Mr. A. Elphinstone, of your part of New Zealand, yesterday ; he is settled on the Siga Toke river, Vita Levu. He told me he always sleeps in blankets when there, the nights being so cold (different to Levuka!), and that it was the finest sheep country in the world. W. M. Morton, Esq., late Inspector of Mounted Troopers in Otago," find well known in your district, arrived here in the barque Ellesmere from Sydney. Mrs. M. had a daughter born the day before Christmas. Apropos of festival days, on New Tear's day we had a regatta in this fine harbour. Upwards of £50 was collected towards defraying the expenses, and about £35 was paid away as prizes. It. Galloway, an old resident in Otago, acted as Umpire on tho occasion ; T. Leggatt, of Sydney, as starter, and Edwin J. Turpin, late of Ciinterbury, secretary, v There were seven races, and the majority of the whites were of opinion that, taking into consideration the difficulties attendant on the first attempt of anything of this kind in Fiji, it was a perfect success, and that much credit was due to the Committee. By-the-bye, the "Fijian "Weekly News and I Planters' Journal " has " caved," after a struggling existence of three months. I do not think Johnson, the proprietor, acted wisely in giving ' up at this time, as the white population in Fiji has increased over fifty per cent, within twelve -months, and his paper had ever a chance of growing with the place. His average sale was about 250 copies per week, which would have been doubled this year had he continued. The cotton crop has been a perfect success ; all the planters seem satisfied with their prospects. Labour is the one great difficulty. This, lam afraid, will not be solved by free emigration from the New Hebrides. Strange rumours are afloat of some dark deeds having been committed on board a vessel bringing labourers from Tama to Fiji, which left soon after their disembarcation, for Sydney. Particulars I cannot at present give. But the British Consol is making a strict enquiry into its truthfulness; n nd if the report is found correct, the '^es concerned in it will pay dearly Tsjrb» i; cate the laws of slave trade, to, vinu* <*& these hurried .notes by X. must cloy New Zealand a success wishing you, ift in. Fiji, as general ftß W© fc» .

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