LATER FROM FIJI.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 772, 4 February 1871, Page 2

LATER FROM FIJI.

By the arrival of the schooner Letitia we have received files of the " Fiji Times," from which have been made the following extracts: —The news of the shooting of a white man at Sandwich is confirmed. The deceased, whose name, we have not heard, was in the habit of exchanging shots with a man named M'Leod whenever they were in liquor, which was by ro means an unfrequent occurrence. He had hit M'Leod in the leg during the previous encounter, but the debt is now fully A. message has been sent to the Vuni Valu for permission to fight, and the natives of Ovalau are preparing everything for a struggle. A large talk was held on Thursday, at which some hundreds of Tologa, Levuka, and Levoni men were present. If Thakombau goes to war, the liewa is likely to be tlie scene of action. Retovea u fighting at Macuata with another chief, some few men have been put. hors de combat. A meeting of land and householders of Levuka was held on the 17th to discuss the charter granted by Thakoinbiin. Mr Morey was voted to the chair. On account of lack of unanimity, nothing was effected. Some Solomon Islanders recently ran away from Messrs Strang and Finlay'a plantation at Taviuna. The men, twentyfive in number, seized a white whaleboat, rigged up a mat sail, and left at 12 o'clock at night, and proceeded to Namina or Direction Island. There they killed four Fiji men who were in a canoe, a fifth happening to be in the bushes a little way off, and he saw the slaughter; they ate some of the flesh from the murdered men, and packed the rest carefully in the boat for future occasion. They have not yet been captured, although Mr Strang is in pursuit

Messrs Taylor and Brown arrived at Levuka, from Christchurch, with everything necessary to commence large plantations, and have chosen the Windward Islands as their place of settlement. The marriage of Mr Taylor, on Decembe.- 1, was a pleasant little excitement, and an agreeable interruption to the everyday commercial life of Levuka. Accounts from the different out-districts are very encouraging, and the samples of cotton, the result of late picking.-, seem excellent. On Messrs Hamilton's plantations, 1800 lbs. of cotton were picked in one day. Mafu, with the Governor of Tavuki (Kadavu), and Tui Ihvkiti, have been to Bega, to settle the dispute <>f that island. At his request, the disaffected natives gave up their arms, and 230 of them were taken to work for him on the Windward plantations for a term of years. It is probable that Thakombau will interfere in the matter. The adherents of Ban have already had notice to he prepared to take the field. As Bega is included in the schedule of the Polynesian Company, the " settlement " will probably result in their obtaining possession. The Vuni Vain has instructed his agents, Messrs Burt and Son, to lease land on rhigau, to bona fide settlers possessed of a sufficiency of capital to work their plantations in a proper manner. Home Ka Coast men, who were working for Mr Otway, at Bau, seized a boat and ran off; the boat capsized, and nine of the ten men were eaten by sharks or drowned.