FIJI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 2099, 17 October 1870, Page 3

FIJI.

I»\" the arrival of the ivenilworth and Merlin f oiu Fiji, we have received files to the Ist inst. They contain litt'e of any interest to Auckland readers. We make the following extract 9 :—

On Saturdav week a native, caught in the act of stealing three pieces of cloth from Mr. it store, was sentenced by Cakobau to receive fifteen lashes, and for that purpose was tied to Mr. Cart's verandah posts. A g >0 I deal of sympathy was expressed by old residents of some thirty hours, mil one philanthropist bought the dread instrument, of torture, a piece of rope from the cxecntioner. and doubtless it will figure in the Auckland museum, with a suitable inscription attached. Tht« suggestion of our Auckland correspondent that on the arrival ot llishop Patt.eson, the Fijian planters shou! 1 arrange a meeting with liini to explain their relations with South *ea Island labourers." is worthy of our attention, a3 ii seems highly probable that that gentleman will visit lis \n his mission schooner. Should there not be time for planters from the different islands to a! I end for the purpo-e, there arc always a number of gentlemen having business m Levuka who could, at a short notice, prove most satisfactorily to the reverend prcla'.e that, Fijian planters are not. the '' bloodthirsty rutuans " they have been representeil bv ignorant and int"ie~t--d It is true tha f the lawless herds ot Koss Lewin. Captain Hayes <-{ omnc lnive made th-* name of labour seekers an-; planters a synouvm for tyra.iy and r [rieity, but we mav safely say that it" BUhop Patteson once conversed with any one score of our plant -rs for an hour, he would be satisli?d as to their honorable deding witii natives in t.'ien* charge. Our correspondent also says, "the iiirhop is not opposed to Ins people going to wo k m the Fijis i { " properly treated and looked after bv the Consul ther '.'' It. cannot be ex-

peete 1 that Mr. March can "<eep a registryofllee, but settlers in Kiji are too much alive to their won interests to fail i:: returningtheirmenat the expirat- ou of their agreed term ui servi.v, or to treat tliem unkindly whilst in their empluv : and wo venture to assert, that no single instance could be shown where imported laborers have been treated unfairly or unkin ilv. We need not. remind our readers of the influence missionaries possess over natives of ui.t-t i.»f the.South Sai Tsl tiv.l-, and if we can prove to tlie Uishop of PoUu'-s:a that we prefer employing natives at a fair rate ot wages, and dealing fairly and honorably wiih them, to kidnapping or robbing them, be may be of th? greatest assirdan;-e in organising some system by «*hieh we may eel a supply ol labor from the adjacent islands.