THE POLYNESIA COMPANY.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 38, 12 May 1869, Page 5

THE POLYNESIA COMPANY.

The first ordinary meeting of the shareholders in the Polynesia Company (Limited), was held at their offices, Collins-street, Melbourne, on the 29th ultimo. The reports read by the Chairman stated the safe arrival, at Levuka, of the Alfred, on the 7th March, after a fine passage of twenty days ; and that Mr. Glenny, the company's representative, who left Melbourne in her, had been well received by King Thakombau, and the British and American Consuls. It also stated that the King was about to accompany him with a survey-party to Luva, on the island of Viti Levu, for the purpose of marking out the boundaries of the company's possessions there. The following invitation had been addressed by Mr. Drew, Chief Secretary of the Bau Government, to the white settlers of Levuka : — "As the general white interests in Fiji now demand and require that there should be such a settled form of government in Fiji as would be recognized by the principal European Powers, and as there is a strong probability, if such a Government be not at once established, that Fiji before long will be ruled by a power alike detrimental to our social and commercial interests, it has been determined on to revise Cakobau's [Thakombau's] present Constitution and laws ; and by a proper system of representation, and an Executive Ministry or Cabinet, to make a thoroughly constitutional Government, which will insure to the whites their interest, and administer just and equitable laws to all aliko. I have therefore to request, that you will be good enough to elect, by vote, two gentlemen of your district as your pledged representatives, or delegates, to a G-eneral Convention of Delegates, to assemble at Bau, March 1, 1869. The business immediately pressing on this House of Delegates, besides the acceptance and revision of the Constitution and laws, will be — " 1. The labour question. " 2. Land regulations. " 3. Unsettled state of Viti Levu. " 4. Ways and means. " These are questions involving the interests of all alike, and, therefore, are questions for the country." The elections thus invited seem to have taken place. An assembly of the white settlers was held on the 3rd of March, and to them King Thakombau addressed the following speech (literally translated) :—: — " I stand up in your presence, the chiefs from another country. I know that you have come here to do good, and not evil. You havo come to enlighten our lands j I rejoice to see you. We are foolish and ignorant, but we want to improve. We have got Christianity, and rejoice in its benefits ; and now we want law established in- the land. It is good that you should help us. I now think we shall be good, and do well. This is the second meeting of the sort we have had ; the first was held, but did us no good ; we hope better things from this meeting. If you help us, it will be good. We are like a sinking canoe, and want you to help to bale out the water. You must remember that we are only a little canoe, and cannot carry much. Do not put too much in the canoe, lest it sink. There are two things heavy upon me, about which I want your advice : — 1. The proposed war against the tribes in the mountains. The land is bad because of the mountaineers, and I wish to make all the country good. 2. The fine (indemnity to America). We are uncertain yet about help from Melbourne. There i is also the law relating to selling land, which is bad, and wants improving ; the laws relating to labour ; and also the raising of money on the land (taxes). You know how all these things should be done ; they are new things to me. The good we Fijians have is like the end of a man's finger ; but we are anxious that the whole body should be good. My words are finished." The Chief Secretary of the Bau Government was j reported also to have written to the company, under 'date 27th March, 1869, as follows :—" I have to assure you that no effort will be wanting on the part of the King's Government to carry out to tho letter tho obligations contained in your charter, as also to render your Mr. Glenny every assistance in enabling him to report on the scheduled lands." The report and balance sheet were received and adopted, and after the re-selection of the present board of directors, and votes of thanks being unanimously accorded to the directors and officers, the meeting terminated. Aesenic ik Heaet Aitections. — Dr. Papillaud thus speaks of the effect of arsenic in heart affections and other diseases in the Journal dcs Connaissances Medicates : — The best remedy for the cure or palliation of a disease of the heart must surely be that which exercises an elective and regularizing action on the muscular system ; which will stimulate its functions, increase its energy and power o£ resistance, prevents its being fatigued, and favours its nutrition. Now all these properties are possessed by arsenic to the highest degree. It produces excellent effects in shortness of breath, which is conclusive evidence of its power of regulating the strokes of the heart. Again, according to the French school, nine-tenths of the diseases of the heart pro- ! ceed from rheumatism, and arsenic is the most powerful remedy for that affection, let it be ever so [ inveterate. It is well known that arsenic, in the j shape of Fowler's drops, is a sovereign cufe for ! ague, and it has recently been shown that it may be used aa a prophylactic against apoplexy.