FIJI.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4330, 1 July 1871, Page 3

FIJI.

OUTBA.GE BfJNJLTIVIiS AND ffOYEL TBIA.L. We have received filea of tho Fiji Times to June J7, from which we make the following extracts : — Mr. Wilkinson* > hired labourers, men from Duma, who were 'employed on Lekube, Bua, having taken offence at some imaginary grievance, burned to the ground the plantation cotton-house, and were proceeding to commit other outrages, but were fortunately pacified, but not before they had commenced .to 1 destroy the dwelling - houss, thoroughly alarming Mrs. "Wilkinson witli their and «avage conduct., Here is another instance j of iow the "harmless Fijian" will act under an imaginary grievance, and of what treatment our wives and children (Mrs. W. was , accompanied by four children) may expect to meet from this race, who,, according to some,) are never to give us any trouble, treat them as we may. On the 16th of May the culprits were brought to trial before a mixed Court. Messrs. Otway andßeaven sat, with the native chief magistrate. The wrong done was admitted by the men, and reasons assigned by them in justification which were at once scouted by the Court. Two of the men were sentenced to four years' labour, one of them to three years' labour, and the remaining fifteen to two years' Jabour. Mr. Wilkinson is toj be're-coiiped 'in what 'the prisoners might earn, to the amount of the loss. The magistrates would have liked to have administered the lash also,' but the Buan law on the point appeared rather obscure, and, as one of the great, objects in view is to teach the natives the supremacy 1 of law' under 'all circumstances, the thrashing they so richly deserved, in addition to their term of servitude, was not administered to tho fellows.

ACCIDENT TO, A PLANTATION JIANAGER. An accident occurred here a few days ago to Mr. Scott, the plantation manager to Messrs. Wilson, Hamilton, and Co. It appears that Mr. Scott had borrowed a loaded gun from one of the natives to shoot a' fowl, and after discharging it the hammer broke off, striking him heavily on the shoulders, and, rebounding, inflicted a nasty wound on the bridge of the nose. Captain Leasing, of the 'Harriet Armitage,' applied the necessary remedies, and he is now recovering fast. This ought to act as a caution to white men using guna belonging to the natives, as they invariably put in a double charge of powder.

ARRIVAL OF NATIVE WAKRrORS. On June 16, the troops who arrived on the previous evening by the ' Jeanie Duncan,' from Angau, paraded the beach at Levuka in force, fully armed and accoutred according to Fijian notions. They were well ornamented with paint, and presented themselves before the King, to whom, as is the Fijian custom, they protested their loyalty. Lovoni is their destination, and before many days they will take their departure for the seat of war.

ANOINTMENT OP A GOVERNMENT. Cakobau has appointed an. Executive Council, which was inaugurated with great demonstrations by armed natives. The members of it are : — Sydney Charles Burt, Premier and Minister of Finance ; Lieutenant Woods (of New Zealand), 1 Minister of the Interior ; John Temple Sagar (of Adelaide), Minister qf Trade and Commerce ; Ratu Savanca (Cakobau's son), Minister of Native Affairs ; Ratu Timoci (Cakobau's brother), 'Minister 1 of War ; and James C. Smith and Gustavus Hennings, members of the Executive without, office. The new Government has already exhibited indicatious of an intention to carry things with a high hand. The white population has protested, and it is very doubtful whether the new Government will be able to exercise any authority over the European population.