TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16,1900.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 59, 16 October 1900, Page 2

T UES DAY, OCTOBER 16, 1900.

NOW that the attention of the Ausiralaaiaa colonies, New Zealand especially, has been drawn to the Fiji Islands, and as they aie likely to prove a bone of contention in the near future, a fow facts concerning the causes which lead to the petition from ibe Ihlunds for federation with New Zealand may not be amiss. , As long ago as 1885 a petition to ; the same eifocfc was made to the New Zealand Houbp, but was not favourably rend. However, during the fifteen years which have elapsad, th 6 disabilities and grievances complained of still remain, and again, in thu name of (he Fiji people, an appeal is made to New Zealand. The white population of the Fijis is about 4000, and the number of Indians, imported to work on the great sugar plantations, is 15,000. During tho period referred to, the Fijian native race, which in 1885 nambere.l 115,001), and now numbers only 90,000, decro«Bod 25,000, apart from the question of the margin which Bhould exist botweon births and deaths. The decrease of population is directly attributed to the specially oppressive system of government and to the excessive burden of taxation laid upon the native race. We are told, in addition, that the white inhabitants of the colony, mostly New Zealandera and Australians, are entirely deprived of all voice in the making of the laws under which they have to livo, and are altogether unrepresented in the Legislature. In the administration of public affairs, the interests of the white people are disregarded, and their wishes though respectfully expressed, meet with curfc and uncourteous refusal. The Governor persists ia retaining within the precincts of the town, close to some of the dwelling-houses, a bubonic plague station and a leper settlement. The right of trial by jury is curtailed in such a manner as to be practically denied to the colonists. In civil cases, the chief judge, who is the sole judge in the colony, sits without a jury. In such cases there is no appeal except to the Privy Council, and then only when the sum involved exceeds £500, which renders appeal practically prohibitive. In criminal cases a j«ry is allowed £nly whea both complainant and 'accused are whites, and in all other casea, which constitute the vast majority, the judge sits with assessors, who merely deliver an opinion, which the Chief Justice may, at his discretion, disregard. It is with the desire of obtaining a government suitable to their wants and aspirations, and one in accordance with their rights as British -born people, that the petitioners desire the sanction of the Imperial Government to the incorporation of Fiji with New Zealand as an integral part of that colony. The colony ot* Fiji is, even now, "self - supporting and practically without debt, and under proper rule its possibilities are such as to place it in the jfirst rank amen*; he tropical possessions of the Grown. Since October 10th, 1874, Fiji has been a British dependency, and haa since been administered as a Crown colony of a severe type. This form of idministration nominally associates in the work of government the Governor, the Executive Council, and the Legislative Council, which is composed of fix. officials, including the i Governor as President. Six civilians nominated by the Governor and four official members, with the Governor, form the Executive Council. The

Governoi, vvuo exercises both a deliberative and casting vote, ako directs how the official vote shall be recorded, and he thus absolutely dominates the deliberations, and the By stem is reduced to the Hues of a simple despotism., An article in the Fiji Times of September Ist, 1900, by the Rev. W. Slade of the Wesleyan Mission, points to a state of affairs which is positively disgraceful, and which if existent towards British subjects (white or coloured) in the territory of a foteign power, would call down, not only the voice of the Press, but the might of the British arms to enfore its re-adjustment. Mr Slade is care- ; fal to point out that he writes solely on his own opinions on behalf of the natives and doea not commit his Mission to any particular set of opinions or course of action. "The Fiji Government has, he Bays, committed itself to the communal system, which in a form waa in existence in the group at the time of cession. The mass of the people were communal in complete subservience : to the chiefß who held cole possession of their livea and property. This system the new Government merely extended, as it seemed so much easier than to emancipate the peoplo and govern them in a new way. Mr Bla.le considers this was a great mistake, for these natives lack force of character and are deficient in many of the manly qualities at any time. What they need is a system of Government which will encourage individual eifoit and build up character ; not one which takes from them all incentive and ambition. The policy of tbe Fiji Government is in direct opposition to thif. The Councils are a mere matter of form, and the will of the people gives way to the personal will of the Governor. Free<lom of discussion and the expression, of private opinion are effectively checked by stringent laws. The communal system, he gays, is bound up with the maintenance of the poll-tax, and villages are removed froiu fertile valleys and placed on the roadside, a village at all roomy is contracted, all to make the people more accessible to the tax collectors. For the same reason natives are bound to remain in their villages during the greater part of the year, and although in Fiji there are upwards of 35,000 able-bodied men, traders and planters requiring a few weeks or days of casual labour frequently cannot obtain a man. This poll-tax is unjust inasmuch as it is not levied on Polynesians and free Indians, only on the Fijians, who are being gathered oif| their lands, and the areas vacated let on easy terms to untaxed alien settlers of all kinds. If the Fijiuns were more courageous, had their own newspapers, understood and could use the rights of public meetings, and <jould bring to bear on the Government the influences available to ourselves, poll-tax would nofc survive a year. But the Government needs the revenue and so overtaxes the race which proves the easiest victim. Most of the i oJids of the country are made under compulsion by the natives, who not only get no -remuneration for their labour, but provide themselves with food into the bargain. The hand of the Government has indeed been heavy on the native population. No Fijian is allowed to choose his own path in life or avail himself ot opportunities of learning a trade. In ita foolish desire to regulate every detail of native lif a, .the Government has made itself an object of haired and dread to the natives. The true redemptive policy \\*©ald be to break up the

present communal system, place the people, under efficient directorship, back on the land, help them to acquire useful animals and property, and instead of bringing in Indians to fill vacant areas, teach the natives themselves to become settlors. The Fijians have nothing to lo3e and everything to gain by federation with New Zealand, which would free them from a heavy-handed Government, whose expensi vencss leads to fche reversal of fche principles on which equitable taxation is based, and causes the heaviest burden to fall on the , people.