FIJI NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 160, 9 July 1890, Page 2

FIJI NEWS.

The coolie ship Allanshaw, which arrived in port on June 21st from Calcutta with some 600 passengers, has had quick despatch in this port, as after o detention of only 4 days 2 hours she aailed on her return trip to Calcutta on the succeeding Saturday. She took 20 Indians who liquidate their own passages, and 59 return Indian immigrants. H.M.s. Rapid, from Cook Town, via Noumea, whereshecoaled,anchored in Suva Harbour on June 13. She brought a prisoner for trial in the High Commissioner's Court. Thisprisoner, a Solomon Island chief rejoieingintbenanie of Johnson (presumably with thearistocratic"t"), is accused of the murder of a frenchman named Dobell, on Guadalcanar, and was taken by H.M.s Royalist to Cook Town, where he has been kept in confinement for some ten months. This case will probably afford another pleasant example of the assessor travesty,,.,and a small addition to.the cry — "Perfidioue Albion !" The rumour has been "abroad that the officers of H.M.s. Rapid were to have been engaged this week in surveying a portion of Suva Harbour, to be made use of as a naval depot or coaling station, but we have received no authoritative intimation that the formation of either is in immediate contemplation. It must necessarily eventuate in course of time, and will mean the expenditure of a good deal of money when it does occur. The locality spoken of is in the neighbourhood of Quarry and Quarantine Islands on the western side of the harbour ; but one would think that near Walu Bay would be the most convenient site. Crushing will commence at the Nausori Mill on the first of the month, consequently all sugar estates are in a etate of activity and bustle. The estimated cane crop this year is considerably under that of previous years, but the canes have had tho advantage of some fine weather lately, and have greatly improved during tho past month or six weeks. Fresh complaints aboub the banana disease come to hand every day now. The malady is making headway very fast indeed in this district. In one patch of now ground, on the river bank, a few weeks ago, three stoola were found, and a fortnight afterwards no less than 20. If it keeps increaping at this rate, the bananas will very shortly cease to be productive. Tho Colonial Sugar Refining Company (Limited) are about to very materially increase their ever-extending operations in Fiji.' For a long time past, the management have cast longing eyes towards the northern end of Vanua Leru and have been in negotiation with the Government with the view of securing certain necessary concessions. Those, it may be presumed, have been granted by the Government, and operations were commenced forthwith. A large number of the local natives have been employed clearing at the Labasa River, the site selected for the mill, and an advance manager—Mr T. J. Jordon —proceeds to the district straight away to take charge of the new operations. This will be good news to the natives in that district, as indeed it will be to all people interested in reducing this portion of the Fiji wilderness to smiling cane fields. An important operation with respect to valuable property has lately been, effected. The Rambi Island Estate, which for so many years has been worked by the Managing Director, Hon. Captain Hill, has been leased by Messrs Corbett and Hunt. This property was one of the best copra producing estates in the group, but hurricanes have unfortunately totally destroyed fully two-thirds of the plantation. That of 1886 did very considerable damage, destroying most of the houses and crops, and it was only recovering from the effects of that blow when that of last year swept over the island, causing great devastation. Messrs Corbett and Hunt have a large number of fine cattle on the estate, which is considered a capital grazing place. There is also very extensive machinery for making cocoanut fibre, the steam engines being quite new, while the boiler is capable of enabling it to work at a speed equal to 30 horse power. It is not the. intention of the new occupants to go in for fibre decortorating, at all events not just at preeont. There is therefore an opening in this line for some energetic person, for the fibre can always command a market.