THE FIJIS. (From the Sydney M. Herald, January 23.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1377, 22 February 1861, Page 5

THE FIJIS. (From the Sydney M. Herald, January 23 .)

Our information from Fiji continues upon the whole promuing to the friends of that country. There has been a' considerable addition to the white population. The troubles of New Zealand have induced inunigratiorf from that quarter, and although some had not appreciated the difficulties and privations incident to every new country, others are prepaied to bi»ve them, cci tain of ultimate success. The natives at present ,diipose of their land on fair terms. ISvery precaution is taken by the Consul to secure the titles from future disputation. Purchases are first reported to the consulate. The chiefs of the district wheie the land is sold are then consulted, and then- sanction obtained to the sale. After an interval of three months, for any claimant to appear, the seal of the consulate is attached to the title, and being propeily attested is recognised both by the whites and the native population. No attempt of course is made to interfere with the price or to dictate the terms of alienation. Whatever rate the native chooses to part with his land, providing the title be vested in him, is a matter for the sole consideration of himself and the purchaser. Thus it is expected that no difficulty will be found heieafter in ascertaining the boundaries or authenticating the disposal of land. The New Zealand plan, our readeis are aware, is somewhat different from this, and has, doubtless, occasioned considerable dissatisfaction. The sole piuchaser being the Government, and the market being thus restricted, the price is, of course, a matter of agieement, but not of competition. The natives of New Zealand have felt aggrieved when they have wen land parted with by themselves for a small consideration, pass to the hands of European purchasers at a heavy price. If then the system adopted at Fiji will secure a sufficiont breadth of land for European occupation, and peimit colonization to extend, there is nothing to object to the process of purchase and registration. It appears that the relations o£ the Fijians and the Tongese are not very satisfactory. Our intelligence informs us that an armed force, originally from Tonga, is acting under the inspiration of a white man, who endeavoured to obtain a cession of several distucts in favour of Manfu, a Tonguese leader and representative in Fiji. The Chief did not himself negotiate this cession, but was present in the neighbouihood that he might support it with a display of strength. The Consul, in consequence o<" the proceedings of this white man, who is a British subject, seized his vessel and has retained it to be disposed of under the orders of the British Government. The ground of the seizure is that Henry was endeavouring to stir up the people in opposition to the cession which the natives had ten dered to the Queen, and the propriety of which is now under the consideration of the Government. There is considerable enmity between the inhabitants of the Fijis and the Tongese. They have about the same political relations as our English and Fiench ancestors. These measures, on the part of the Consul, appear to us to be not wanting in decision and strength. Their necessity must of course be judged of on the spot. It is stated that Colonel Smyth— the Commissioner sont out by the home Government, has given them hi* full approbation. Their effect has been, however, to produce a strong feehng among the whites. Unhappily, the present position of that community is far from satisfactory, and the administration of justice, however fairly earned out, is sure to excite discontent and reproaches. The necessitifs of the case impose something like arbitrary duties on the Consul, who has to act as registrar, as magistrate, and as general superintendent of commercial transactions, so far as they are subject to reference. It isevident that the time has come when a more methodical process of Government must be established, and the various interests of the community protected in the ordinary way. The disputes and agitation arising out of this question may lead to serious embarrassment hereafter. Great efforts are made by some persons to induce the people to distrust the British authorities, and to draw back from the cession. At present it is understood that the flag of England is greatly desired by the natives, to relieve them from the importunity of their professing friends and the plots of their enemies. The cotton plantation formed by Dr. Seaman has proved very productive, and the quality is everything to be deßhed. Already small parcels have found their way to Melbourne. The possibility of raiding the cotton of commerce is therefore an established fact, and economical considerations only are now to be decided. Should the result be favourable in a commercial view, as the experiment has proved in other respects, we shall not only have a new branch of colonial trade, but at no great distance an important settlement, depending for all the luxuries, and many of the necessaries of life, upon the older colonies and upon Gieat Britain. Colonel Smyth, the Commissioner, is waiting only for ft man of war to convey him en, route for Europe, having completed his enquiries and obtained all Unnecessary material for the determination of his report. This being favourable — as it may be assumed — the irritating and somewhat perilous delay will be speedily brought to a close, and means provided for that exteniive cultivation which may in the couise of a single life change the great islands of the Fijis into a garden. There aie some leasons to fear, perhaps, that the present condition of New Zealand will damp the purpose of the Crown. It involves a high lesponsibility, and may entail hereafter gieat trouble and expense. But is it possible for Brit* colonization to be arrested, or would it be desirable ' Were the English to renounce the Fijis, would not another nation accept the sovereignty * Is it not possible by learning from past experience to avoid the difficulties which have been so mischievous at New Zealand ? We fear that we cannot hope to escape from some of those evils which colonization usually entails. We shall have differences and qnttnels, but the missionary influence in Fiji will probably rather smooth than obstruct the annexation of the country to the British empire. We are glad to find that the Wesleyan missionaries who are at New Zealand have on the whole sustamed the cause of their countrymen, and are favouiable to the cession. We are glad, because this is always a desirable position in itself, ard because it appeals to us that they have the strength of argument and fact in their favour. There are, doubtless, among them some who were Inimical to the colonization of the Fijis, for its influence is by no means wholly in favour of native prosperity, but they have a choice of evils before them. Either England or some other nation will assume the sovereighty of those islands, and the example of Tahiti is a sufficient warning against neglecting the opportunity to bring the Frjis under the authority of the British Crown, and within the circle of British civilization.