FIJI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4714, 2 October 1872, Page 2

FIJI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. )

VISIT OF A FBENCH MAN-OF WAR. —PROJECTED CALL AT NEW ZEALAND. The French man-of-war 'Vaudreuil' arrived at Levuka, under the command oi Captain Le Fevre, on August 3. Her stay in Fiji was short— only seven days, having departed on August for New Caledonia. From thence she goes to Akaroa, in New Zealand, where she may be expected about the end of September. It is not Captain Le Fevre'a intention to visit any port in New Zealand other than Akaroa. going there, he informed me, in order to make the acquaintance of the French settleis and their families. The hospitable inhabitants of Akaroa will, I am sure, give their gallant countrymen a cordial welcome, and do theii utmost to point out to their visitors the many remarkable features of great scenic interest in and around Banks Peninsula. Those on board the ' Vaudreuilj' even look beyond the confines of Akaroa, and anticipate making excursions to LytteltoD and Christchurch. The fame of Lake Ellesmere is also known to them, and its celebrity as a farourite resort for myriads of ducks. No doubt our Canterbury friends, with French leanings, will unite to give their French visitors a good reception, thus giving fresh proof of the friendship and generosity prevailing in New Zealand for Albion's friendly neighbours across the Channel.

CRUISE OF H.M.S. 'COSSACK.' H.M.s. 'Cossack' returned to Leyuka on August 6, after an absence of eight weeks. Leaving Levuka, her first stay was at Savu Savu Bay; from thence to Point, taking leave of the Fijian group for the Navigator Islands. The ' Cossack ' visited many places of interest in the Samoan group, among others Pango Pango Harbour. Her last port of call before reaching Levuka was Tongataboo, in the Friendly Islands. King George, of Tonga, paid an official visit to the 'Cossack,' and was received by Captain Douglas and his officers in the usual manner.

SCARCITY OP PROVISIONS. In »pite of the warning that ships of war would be in Lev'uka, the stores continue empty, and the commonest domestic supplies command fabulous fpricea. The other day sugar changed hands at 2a. 6d. per lb., and this was of the ordinary moiet description ; and this price, too, was paid in coin, Government paper not being recognised in the transaction. Potatoes, onions, tea, and sugar are not to be obtained now and again ; and the utter absence of flour or biscuits compels the inhabitants to live upon the same food as the planters, namely, yams.

WAR AT THE REWA. In addition to the hostile campaign which has been commenced on the Ba Coast, we have now another scene of operations to contemplate. The battle-ground which now creates some alarm and misgiving for the future is at Viti, a district surrounded by disaffected natives, and upwards of twenty milea from the mouth of the Rewa river. The immediate cause which led to hostilities was the arrest of a Fijian, for an alleged offence, , by J. P. Storck, Esq. It appears that the native in question had been accused of some petty theft, whereupon Mr. Storck placed him under arrest, upon his own premises : this is a cotton plantation on the banks of i the Rewa river. When, however, the Fijians, { who occupy a native town upon the opposite banks ef the river, heard of the measures adopted for forcibly confining one of their

number, they became violent, and, after a hurried consultation, resolved to release their comrade. A few of them, ao< ordingly, proceeded to Viti plantation, aud, without creating a disturbance, demanded of Mr. Storck the Fijian whom he detained in custody. Seeing that he was outnumbered, and judging that discretion would be the better part of valour, Mr. Storck acquiesced in the request, and immediately gave up their comrade to them. The 'vantage ground thus gained emboldened the Fijians to make use of threats for — as they asserted — the wrongful arrest of their countryman by an impulsive European. This was enough to alarm our doughty warrior, and he despatched a special messenger to Mr. Henry Bentley, at Nai Vuku, for assistance. A general alarm then prevailed among the settlers upon the Eewa river : the war cry had been heard, and vengeance must be had. Twenty-four settlers were soon assembled ; and, aiming themselves with rifles, they were led by Colonel Bach, of Naivikmdi. Under his leadership they ascended the river, reaching Viti on Thursday, August the 29th. A council of war was held at once ; J. P. Stork, Esq., "Warden of the district, acting as president. The discussion was marked by much irregularity and violent expressions of opinions. It was finally resolved that the town in which the uatives lived who had released their companion from Mr. Storck's imprisonment should be stormed and destroyed by fire. Steps were at once taken to carry this into effect. The boats were immediately brought into requisition, and the force having effected a landing upon the opposite bank, contiguous to the enemy's town, a rush was made after a few rounds had been fired from the rifles, and a complete victory was achieved. The Fijians never anticipated a raid upon them of this offensive character. But little warning was given, and, the Fijians being taken so completely by surprise, the victory was easily accomplished. The native habitations were destroyed, for the torch was directly applied to the native houses, and in a short time the site presented innumerable heaps of smouldering ruins. The settlers report that two of the enemy's killed, with seven wounded prisoners, fell into their hands. The remaining men, women, and children made good their escape by flight from this scene of havoc and desolation. It is surmised, however, that from the destructive firing of the rifles a great number of Fijians were killed, for under such circumstances every effort would be made by the natives to remove their dead, notwithstanding their hurried retreat. It is needless to observe that no casualties were sustained by the white force.

THE LABOUR TRADE UNDER THE FIJIAN FLAG. The ' Volunteer ' was a British vessel, and she now hoists the Fiji flag, sailing under the name of the ' Annie Russell, ' and thus escapes any overhaul in her sailing cruises by her Britannic Majesty's ships of war. There's another advantage, besides that of escaping inspection by British men-of-war, by adopting the Fiji flag, for vessels in pursuit of slavery, and that is, that upon the ariival of "labour" inLevuka, just imported in Fijian vessels, fees are alone paid to the Fiji Government, whereas such importations in British vessels are subjected to the close scrutiny of the Consul and his fees ; and these same individuals must also be mulcted in fees instituted by the Fiji Government. It will thus be perceived that manifold and important pecuniary advantages offer for vessels trading to Fiji to adopt the flag of this country in preference to that of Great Britain.

(FROM THE "FIJI TIMES.") At the Warden's Court, Louis Basch has been committed for trial on the charge of obtaining money under false pretences. — Mr. Vaughan has arrived at Levukafrom the B», for the purpose of obtaining supplies, and, if possible, a reinforcement of troops. He reports the mountaineers to be tolerably quiet, but very watchful ; and the Bau forces remaining in their own camps not more than nine miles advanced at the farthest outpost. The mountaineers had out-pickets for watching the proceedings of the Royal troops, but the forces had not come into any serious collision. Beyond this there is not anything -worthy of record. — A horrible outrage was committed recently a* Vuna Point. Two foreign labourers, in the employ of Mr. Maitland, were sent out into the bush to gather tivolis. "For some reason | a quarrel arose, and one attacked and killed the other, and then decapitated the body. j The murderer has been placed in Eatu Joni's hands to await trial. — The Government t have determined not to appoint a < Governor in the place of Eatu Timoci, late Governor of Naitaiseri, Eewa district, but instead to amalgamate the provinces of Rewa and Tai Levu, with Eatu Abeli, as Governor. — The third and most serious outrage was inflicted on the person of Mr. Harry Meader near the Sigatoka river, Nadroga. Meader had Bhot some pigs for trespassing on his land, and the chief of the town, who owed him a grudge for refusing to give him (the chief) his half-caste daughter to wife, assembled his men, and speared and clubbed him so severely that doubts are entertained whether he will recover, and ended in carrying off four Tokolau women, and all Meader's goods. — A fatal accident has occurred at Levuka native town through the careless carrying of firearms. Several half-castes were in a house, and upon leaving it the gun carried by one of them went off, shooting a lad named. George through the body. — Yesterday afternoon we were blessed with an arrival from Sydney, after almost being on starvation point. Flour and other necessaries were wotully scarce, the former having been sold at a shilling a pound. — Messrs. F. and W. Hennings have disposed of their store-keeping business to Messrs. Allen, Baillie, and Co,

ATROCIOUS PROCEEDINGS AMONGST VITI LEVU NATIVES. Great disturbances are impending amongst the natives in the interior of Viti Levu. A little more than two yeara back a small chief, a relative of the late Governor of Naitasiri, and named Rosaumaka, was shot in his own house while eating his evening meal by a nephew or other near relative. Rosaumaka. is the Taukei of the free town (bati) called Raravatu, on the Waidina, in ths district of Na Suluira, ; and the reason of this attempb to kill him was that he was rather too gallant to the native women of his town. He was shot through the stomach, two conical bullets entering on one side and passing through him. Strange to say a fortnight afterwards this man was seen by many residents on the river in a state of perfect health, to all appearance having suffered nothing at all from his wounds. About three weeks ago the Waikalou people, in order to requite Rosaumaka for sundry pressnts, dropped upon the Rararatu men whilst they were catching fish, and managed to kill, drag off, and eal two ablebodied men. They then sent two reeds to Rosaumaka as a token that he is to consider himself avenged. This gentlemen sticks them into the thatch of his roof, and says that he is now satisfied. But not so the Raravatu people, who waylay women of Waikalou while out in the bush getting material for native likus, kill and drag off six of them, whom they eat. One of these happened to be the daughter of the Taukei of Waikalou, Rokoseru Taukei, of Nasinvou, in the outskirts of Nasuluira, eats the arms of the young lady, but scrapes all the flesh off her legs, throws that to the pigs, and leaves the banes at the threshold of his door to stamp on when he enters or leaves the hut. He then calls on the rest of the Ruluira people to join and have a grand fight with the Waikalou men. There are several disaffected chiefs at Natnosi, sons of Kuruduaolua by inferior wives, " Rasos," who intend joining the Luluira and Matailohan men against Waikalou, who have the Navosa men on their side ; so we have fire of the most powerful tribes in Fiji, includingalmostthewhole of the interior of Viti Levu, in a state of commotion. The settlers on the river have also s their troubles, the natives having been very insolent of late, and hardly a plantation has escaped robbery, and few of the whites but have been insulted.