MATTERS FIJIAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 163, 23 July 1901, Page 5

MATTERS FIJIAN.

INTERVIEW WITH BJEV. SLADE,

THE DECLINE IN THE POPULA-

TION.

The Eev. Mr Slade, the weJl-kno;vn Wesleyan missionary at Fiji, arrived in Auckland by the s.s. Fiona last night, on a brief holiday visit. Mr Siade's name has been before the public lately owing to the action of Sir Geo. O'Brien, Governor of Fiji, who endeavoured to secure his removal from the group. Interviewed by a representative of the "Star" at Devonport this morning, Mr Slade gave his views on the Fijian Government system. In reply to a question, Mr Slade said that the trouble between himself and the Governor had arisen over a letter published in the "Fiji Times," and reprinted in the "Review of fie views," in which he advocated the federation of Fiji with New Zealand. This greatly ang-ered Sir Geo. O'Brien, and he accused Mr Slade of carrying- out an agitation among the natives, with federation as its object, and a lot of so-called evidence of this was forwarded to the Missionary Society, with a request for Mr Siade's removal, stating -that the Governor did not wish to deport him,, owing to the onice he held. The Missionary Society, as there was no evidence to justify it, refused the Governor's request, and the matter ended in its withdrawal.

How about the present position of Fiji?

Well, I suppose you have seen that last ordinance with reference to those attempting to induce Fijians to take any action having for its object the alteration of the present form of Government. That ordinance has met with much disapproval, and there i«s a strong feeling that it should not be allowed at Home. It was sprung as a surprise on the Council, being passed in less than threequarters of an hour. The Governor spoke very strongly on the matte*:, and made out that he had information that made such an ordinance imperative. He thus frightened some of the members, and the ordinance was opposed by but one member, Mr Burton.

His Excellency seems to be something1 of an autocrat?

Yes, the Government is entirely an autocracy, but under no Governor, in my experience, has this autocracy been so severely felt as under the present administrator. Sir Geo. O'Brien is a very able man in such matters as the building of roads, bridges, etc., but in the higher portions of a Governor's work, such as the knowledge of the natives, their condition, and their requirements, he is very much at fault. This is due to the fact that he has never gone about the country, but has acquired all information by minutes from heads of departments. He is almost unknowu to the Europeans at Fiji, and has never had conversations with anyone outside the Government to find out what the natives are like.. He speaks of the Fijians as an excitable race, while as a matter of fact there never was a more phlegmatic people.

The general feeling in Fiji is that the ordinance already referred to was aimed at one man, Mr Humphrey Berkejey, whom ,the Governor professes to consider, a very da.ngeroiiß man. Ido not think he has srufflcientf

■ -..■ - ."nun T-. mn urn „ ■ . _^^ .^ influence to cause trouble, even If he desired it. The missionaries, have the strongest influence among the na« tives, and of course that influence is wholly on .the side of peace.' Fiji was ceded to Britain mainly as a result of missionary influence, and it cannot be. doubted that the missionaries are still loyal, so that any suggestion of their stirring up strife would be absurd.

Has Sir George left the group yet?

He was to leave on Thursday, the day after my departure. He has now been in the group four years, and the custom is that the fifth year is taken as leave of absence, so that it is improbable that he will return. He ia absolutely tactless, and has never endeavoured to find out by personal experience the feeling-s of the people he ffoverned. The magistrates of the various districts do much of the administrative work, and the Government lias recently appointed native inspectors, who report to the Governor. I have seen some of the diaries of these inspectors, and certainly some very odd writing has been done in them. The Governor is a man readily influenced by panic, and probably the ordinance may have been caused by something- submitted by an inspector.

Sir George opposes thte federation of Fiji with either Australia or New Zealand?

Yes, he appears to make a personal matter of it. I have taken an interest in the ltiatter because I feel that the natives are not being fairly treated by the Government, and that any change would give them a better chance.

What are the desires of the Europeans with regard to Government?

I feel that Sir George has misrepresented the Fiji character altogether. We missionaries have heard of no rising, which is hinted at in the ordinance, nor are the people likely to think of rising. For one thing, they are held too tight, and for another

they have no organisation among the various tribes.

I gather that you do not approve of the Fiji Government system?

I object to it in toto. My great reason for favouring federation tis with a view of getting- cfrrßS with the communal system. As the people progress this system would gradually die, but the Government is afraid to let it lapse, and accordingly the hold of the Government is made stronger by ordinances. A Fijian belongs almost entirely to the commune. From the age of 16 he is taken from hia father's control, and he canot leave the vilage without permisison, while for absenting himself for a few days he can be, and frequently is, imprisoned for six months. His home and its manner of building is determined by the officials, who are on top of each others heads all over the islands, and lately the inspectors have gone so far as to range the boys and girls of a village in lines, and call on them to choose their wives and husoands,the natives being afraid 'fa refuse. Permission has been refused to youths over 16 Jto attend school, simply because they were wanted in the commune. Thus the vilage is practically the world of its inhabitants, and freedom amongst the natives is an unknown quantity. And what is the effect of this on the native character?

It not only affects their character, but also their lives. All are reduced to an absolutely dead level, and ambition is killed, and with it, being frequently the desire to live. The Indians and Polynesians are alolwed to lease land wherever they desire to do so, and to move at will, but not ho the Fijians. In the four provinces wherein I laboured from January 1 to June 30, there was a loss to population of 243 by excess of deaths over births. This 'i attribute largely in the case of adults to the los of desire to live through there being no goal for their ambition. The iniant mortality is very high among the Fljrr-g, -Enough the villages are well drained and supplied with water. In the coolie villages, where sanitation is unknown, the streets swarm with chubby happy children.

It is thought that they should have the power to elect a representative council, and a petition with this ol>. ject is now going the rounds. At present the council is composed of Government officials, who vote aa directed, and nominees of the Governor, who are in so hopeless a minority that I wonder they retain their seats. Eegarding federation, it is generally thought that Fiji should federate with Australia, and in my opinion auy attempt to federate with New Zealand would be blocked by Australia. Of course, as with Queensland, we have the black labour question, white workers being an impossibility in the sugar plantations. There is another matter, continued Mr Slade, to which reference might be made. Practically the whole of Fiji's import trade comes from Australia. Sydney merchants cater very carefully for our market, and supply such goods as cottons and hardware at 100 per cent, less than we can get them from Auckland. This seems unaccountable in view of the drawback on the re-exported goods.