THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1875.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4400, 20 December 1875, Page 2

THE New Zealand Herald. SPECTEMUR AGENDO. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1875.

The Llewellyn has returned after a capital trip taking less time than was expected, and proving herself the right craft for the growing trade between Auckland and Fiji. She brings news to the 13th December, and there is a good deal that is interesting in it. The Fijian papers state that the Alarm from New Caledonia brings to Levuka intelligence that a French man-of-war was to leave Noumea two days after the Alarm, and go to the New Hebrides to hoist the French flag over that group. The news has created considerable interest in Fiji as the labourers on the plantations there come in large numbers from the New Hebrides, with which Fiji has been in this way closely connected for the past ten years. The pigeon English spoken by these labourers in Fiji in order that they may be able to communicate with each other, must be pretty well diffused throughout the New Hebrides group, and it seems a pity they should fall into foreign hands. Nothing is said of any action to be taken by Sir Arthur Gordon in the matter. Perhaps His Excellency may be yet beforehand, and repeat the lesson learn in early New Zealand days at Akaroa. We are very glad to find that what has been loosely said and written hero about the Government having tapu'd the native trade, is without foundation. "We did not, for our own parts, attach the slightest weight to the report, as such a course would be quite inconsistent with the sound judgment shewn by the Governor in all that has been done since his arrival. The report has, however-, received the most emphatic contradiction possible, and in this wise His Excellency, having gone to visit Kandavu and other places in H.M.S. Barracouta, was informed at Kandavu that the native chiefs had made this taboo and that the traders could get no copra or other produce. Thereupon lie invited the settlers of the place to meet him and state the case, when it appeared there was not the least ground for the report of this general taboo of native produce. It was quite local and confined to copra for a short time for purposes purely local by general consent of the people of the district. The Governor said he had no power to interfere in such a case. It was purely a matter of trade, but he would certainly not allow any chief to issue a general taboo as though he were acting with authority. He saw no reason why a village community should not nevertheless place any produce within their own limits under taboo for their own purposes. He added a sentence pregnant with meaning "it was through the village community system only that Fiji could bo civilised," and this probably will be found the key to His Excellency's native policy. If so it is easy to understand that each "community" would be called upon to contribute a certain sum to the revenue and be allowed to p.,y it in produce until affairs are more thoroughly settled. The first Appropriation Act has been published with a full memorandum from His Excellency which was laid upon the table of the Legislative Council when the Estimates were produced. In that memorandum the Governor states that he has received £40,000 . from England, and hoped to have been able to use it to pay off old liabilities, but had been obliged to appropriate part of the amount to current expenditure, which exceeded the estimate first made by Sir Hercules Robinson. The revenue was not equal to Sir Hercules' estimate on the other hand. Sir Arthur Gordon meets the subject fairly and discusses it fully, beginning by refunding to the treasury two thousand pounds out of the five thousand at which his own salary was fixed by the Colonial Office. He alt,o takes upon himself the cost of his houLeliold entirely, offering in this the most sincere proof of his desire to make his Government a success to the colony. Fiji is fortunate in having a Governor whose heart is so thoroughly in his work and they appear to fully appreciate their good fortune. Tho Appropriation Act is only for the quarter to 31st December, and amounts to £32,638, of which about £6,000 is for the regular establishments and the balance for various purposes, including £G,OOO for a colonial steamer and £5,000 to pay off over-drafts at tho bank. The ex-King Cakobau has a pension of £1,500 a-year, liis daughter Adi Kuila has£looJand Maafu, tKe Windward Islands chief, has £600. Various other chiefs are employed, and the total cost is about £1,200 a-year for the pensions and services they render among the large native population of more than a hundred thousand. H.M.S. Nymphe is to replace the Barracouta for the Fijian service, the latter vessel going to the Line Islands. The seat of Government it is now understood may be removed from Levuka, although the Royal Engineers are busy in improving the town in every way, It will probably be removed to some place in Yiti Levu, but where is not yet fixed. A Commission had just been sent to Suva, and the report was looked for daily. Ordinances had been published to render more easy the recovery of debts, to continue Cakobau's native laws in operation till Ist March next, and for various other purposes. The Lands Titles Commission have begun their labours at Waireki, in Taviuni, as the place where the titles were least complicated. Thence they will go as rapidly as possible through the group, settling the titles £Is they go. Certificates of title will then be issued to save the delay in preparing Crown grants, which will be exchanged for them hereafter. The great increase of gambling in Victoria, by means of racing sweeps, and the manifold social evils they entail, have compelled, the Victorian authorities to take some decisive means to suppress these enterprises, tinder the Police Offences Statute (passed some time ago for the especial purpose of suppressing betting shops) proceedings have been taksn in one or two instances, and convictions ob- ( tained. In defiance of the law, however, a well-known sporting character, Mr. Miller of the Bull and Mouth Hotel, Melbourne, lately carried out his usual " One Thousand Pound Sweep" on the Melbourne Cup race, the winner of the first prize (£900) being

the •wife of a chemist in IBourke-street. The ingenuity and skill exhibited in evading the law was something remarkable, and would makethe fortuneof anyone engaged illegitimate line of business. The upshot of the affair is told by the Melbourne Age in the following paragraph:—"There was some uneasiness about drawing of the sweep, and it being imagined that the drawing constituted the illegal portion of the matter, it was determined to «vade the law by having the sweep drawn out of the colony An announcement appeared some weeks before the Cup day, headed, ' Observations taken off Cape Howe,' followed by a series of figures, which were understood by the initiated to represent the number of the tickets to participate in the prizes distributed. It was thought by some that the sweep was arranged on the high seas, but that was not the case, as it was drawn in Sydney. So far all appeared safe, and the most of the money has been paid over, all concerned being totally unaware that any action could be taken in the matter. Notwithstanding the secrecy with which the enquiries and the collection of the data necessary for the institution of proceedings have been carried on, the fact has at last oozed out that Detective Duncan has been watching every detail connected with the conduct of the sweep, and has procured all the information necessary to commence a prosecution of the principals, and a large number of shareholders in the sweep, for being illegally concerned in a gambling transaction. It is stated that in a few days, matters will be brought to a climax, and the attention of the police magistrates will be engaged with the consideration of a case in which it is expected some hundreds of persons will be implicated, and which will probably occupy several days in investigation." ft is calculated that the losses incurred by Victorian banks, public companies, and private firms through acts of embezzlement committed by some of their employees during the last two years, and to which they have been incited by getting involved in turf transactions, amounted to from £20,000 to £30,000. Some of these unhappy men are now expiating their offences at Pentridge, while others have placed themselves beyond the reach of earthly tribunal, and hid their shame in the sullen waters of the STarra. One company alone lost £10,000, and its confidential manager committed suicide rather than face those he had wronged. In Auckland the mania for turf gambling and racing sweeps has not, as yet, reached such extensive proportions as in Victoria, but even here its bitter fruit has been manifested in blasting character and sending to the felon's cell, men, who but for such seductive and illicit temptations, might to-day be in the enjoyment of personal liberty and the confidence of their employers.