FIJIAN NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume XLIII, Issue 141, 16 June 1892, Page 4

FIJIAN NOTES.

In a nicssago to tho Legislative Council of* Fiji, the Governor, Sir J. B. Thurston, refers to the development of tho resources of tho colony. Tho imports and exports for tho past year are .6727,383, showing an increase of 22 per cent, upon imports, :i') per cent, upon exports, and 27 por cent, upon the totivl trade. Sugar, copra, and fruit all show a steady increase. Of tobacco a shipment of Hi tons took place. Owing to the prospects of tho Fiji Tobacco Planting Company, whose plantations are on the fiowa River, it is anticipated that tobacco will take a prominent place in the annual exports. His Excellency expresses his satisfaction with tho steady improvement in the fruit trade between Fiji and Now Zealand. In the first quarter ot tho present year there were 10.0C0 banclios of bananas exported in excess of iho export of tho corresponding quarter of 1891. Sir J. _B. Thurston thinks that arranifoments might bo made which would enablo the frnit trado to bo carried to parts of Now Zealand lying farther south than YVellington, and ho does not doubt that an offort in this direction will be made by those primarily intorested in the Bubject. The revenue for tho first four months of tho prosont year, is as encouraging as that of last y«vr, tho area of land under onltivation is expanding, and the supply of labour scorns adequate to all demands. The estimated revenue of the year was £05,376, and tho actnal amount J671.249. Expenditure was estimated at -fiG3,716, and was .£67,819. In 1886 and 1887 there were defioits of .£13,559 and .£8234 respectively, whilo from 1888 downwards thoro is a steady succession of surplus— lßßß, £6025; 1889, .£0011; 1890, 1891, .£10,27ti. With tho sanction of tho Secretary of State, this lattor surplus of .£10,276 is charged with the Rtim of JEOB4C, which was voted by the Council on tho 20th November laßt for tho purpose of refunding to public officers the special tax, which during a period of financial difficulty it has been found necessary to impose upon official salaries. Fiji is now quits with her Civil b'orvico. and has a surplus of .£2339 to the good. The whole of the figures quoted indicate fcubutinitial progress on tho part of Fiji, as the result of judicious administration. On» of tho oldest identities of tho South Pacific, if not of Fiji, has been visiting I.evuka recently, in tho person of Mr. William Covert, of Motu Tonga, Macuata, Vanua Lovu. This gentleman was born in Coalbrook, Lichfield County, Connecticut, U.S., in 1819. He is a ili.eot descendant of tho Pilgrim Fathers who landed on Plymouth lock during the oarly colonisation of America. Having embarked in seafaring pursuits, Mr. Covort found his way to tho South Pacific early in 18j7, 55 years ago, and he has remained m one or other of the groups over sinco. His first location was on Strong's Island, in tho Caroline Gronp. Having been shipwrecked thoro, ho remained tradin? for 20 years en Strong's Island and others in -ho Caroline, Marshall, and Coghill's Groups. In 1857 ho landod on Sunday Island. In 1862 a Spanish slaver from Callao, S.A., seeking slaves for tho planters in Pom, callpd at the islands and landed 250 of tho kiduappod natives, who wero dying like rotten sheep from cholera. Mr. Covert and his family caught tho disease, and ho lost his wife, a native of Samoa, and throe children, from its raragos. Ho remained on Sunday Island until 1870, when a terrific volcanic eruption took place which nearly destroyed tho island. It was covered with lava, sulphuiyand ashes. He was coinpolled to leave, and coming to Fiji by way of Samoa and Norfolk I:- land, settled on the Macuata Coast, where he is mnch respected. — N.Z. Herald.