OUR FIJI LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7646, 25 May 1886, Page 6

OUR FIJI LETTER.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

I Levuka, May 18. j During Easter we had quite a number of visitors from Suva— Suva men winning i the shooting and lawn tennis matches, bat in the running races our men proved victorious. The great event of these, called the Easter Handicap, was won by Mr. Ryan. The interest shown in these foot races has caused the Suva pedestrians to put before the publio a race named the Sheffield Handicap, first prize £30, to be competed for on Queen's Birthday. It Is certainly a far better way to have these sports alternately at Suva and Levuka, so that they get well attended. Copra is coming in pretty freely, being made up from the fallen nuts, and the Government, determined not to be left out in the cold, have ordered the natives to make up their taxes at once from the above nuts, so that the revenue from the native taxation ought not to show any deficit this year. As the tenders received by the Government for this year's tax copra was not considered satisfactory, they are having some sold by auction on its arrival at Levuka, and the prices obtained so far have been satisfactory considering the state of the home quototions, several parcels fetching £8 16s per ton, forsundried. Most of the copra now is being forwarded to Sydney, and sold , in that market, so we may expect a falling off in the direct shipments usually made by our German merchants. Messrs. Heddeman and Co. have despatched this month th 9 Helena with 460 tons copra to Lisbon for orders. The Hon. Mr. Blyth, Native Commissioner, has been instructed by the Government to proceed with the Suva to several of the outlying islands, and to distribute food to the natives who have had their cultivations destroyed by the late hurricane. The coolie, who murdered his wife at Taviuna, has been sentenced to death, and will be hung shortly. Another coolie has been arrested for a murderous assault on his wife at Lovuka. He nearly put an end to her existence with a club. A Fijian has also been arrested for murdering a native Buli (the name Buli being a title conferred on chiefs). The prisoner has pleaded guilty, but has implicated other natives at the town of Bureta, where the deod was done. After Captain Olive's departure for Auckland, the police authorities arranged for a sergeant from Suva to undertake the charge of the police here, but matters not working smoothly, they discharged the officer in charge, and replaced him by another, with the same result, so they have now appointed Mr. Sabine, of H.M. Customs, at Levuka, as officer in charge, with Mr. Harris (who was formerly in the police) aB his sergeant, and it is thought that no more hitches will now occur. The Boyne, a clipper-looking barque, arrived here last week (at Suva) from Calcutta, with 530 coolies, and has sailed again for the same port. There has been a great deal of sickness in Levuka lately, and dysentery has been very prevalent. Mr. Hcyward, of the firm of Hey ward and Cooper, of t'avusavu Bay, died in our hospital from dysentry this week. He was comparatively a young man, and was only married a year and a half ago in Tasmania, and leaves a young wife anl one child to mourn their loss. This climate necessitating quick burials, bis wife, on her arrival from Savusavu, will receive the sad news that her husband is dead and buried, The damage done to the banana plantation was clearly shown by the sailing of the Victoria a few days after the Arawata without taking on board a single bunch of bananas from this port. The Mawhera will arrive here from Melbourne to-morrow, and will sail again for that port via Suva on Thursday with a fair passenger list, Hon. Matthew Wilson and family being included in the same, they visiting Victoria for a much-needed changj. Marriages are still to the fore. Last week Dr. Beith, stationed at Suva, was married to Misi Soloman, daughter of the genial edhor of the Suva Times, and ere you receive this it is likely that Mr. Sutherland, S.M., of Vanua Sebu, will have wedded Miss Koro Chalmers, daughter of Mr. Chalmers, of the Penang sugar estate. Rotimah has suffered from the late galea, and the copra yield will be materially lessened. The shipping will now find the great benefit from the water having been led down the wharf at Suva, and we understand that the Government will make a reasonable charge for water supplied. The cost of obtaining the aqua pura up to the present has been about 20a per 400 gallon tank, and even at that price was not over remunerative to those supplying. The property of Polynesians that may die in Fiji is well looked after, as the AgentGeneral of Immigration was to have it carefully stored for five years, and if not during that time claimed, can then be sold by auction. Surely it would meet all ends if it was kept at longest for one year, instead of five, as the property must deteriorate during such a length of time. Tho s.B. Suva returned to Suva on Sunday night, May 8, having finished her work of conveying the Native Commissioner round various islands of the group. The natives of the islands visited were not starving, but were certainly very hard up for food, their diet consisting of yaki and cocoanuts. The hurricane has done a lot of harm to the cocoanut trees, but the drought experienced before the gale had ruined their food crops. Rice, biscuit, and sugar were landed at three of the islands, with instructions to the chiefs to see them carefully divided amongst those in most need. The steamer's arrival was considered a great event, and especially at the island of Totoya, as so large a vessel bad never been seen anchored in the harbour at which the Suva stopped. The Government intend sending seed yaws and other seeds to these natives, otherwise they would be no better off next year. On these islands are found traders who pretty well live the lives of Robinson Crusoes, and are often cut off from the outer world for three months, but, a* one of them expressed it, they got used to it. It is not likely that their trade prospects will be very bright for the next year or two. It is likely that His Honor will make a trip in the Suva to several of the outlying islands. The journals here have fully disoussed the reciprocity proposals made by your colony, and it is generally considered that New Zealand is unreasonable in its demands ; but it is hoped that, now the matter has been broached, good may result. The brigantine Ethel arrived from Sydney last week, with a cargo consisting of hardwood and general supplies. The coolie who was sentenced to death has suffered the extreme penalty of the law. Another case of murderous assault has taken place. On one of the islands near Levuka a Fijian nearly put an end to his wife's life. The s.s. Arawata leaves to-morrow morning for your port via Suva. Sho takes a large quantity of copra and coooanuts for transhipment to Sydney. A fair number of passengers also leave our shores, amongst them is a very old settler, namely Dr. Brower, who landed in Levuka twenty-nine years ago. Mr. Walter Hunter, a sugar mill owner, also visits your port on his way to the old country, and Mr. McKinnon and family. From Suva Lieutenant Malau, president of our Marine Board, and Hon. Berkley take passage by the Arawata, and also Mr. Hartenstein, so that New Zealand ought soon to become well-known to our Fiji settlers. The Suva will open a monthly service with Tonga, and connect with the outward trip of the Arawata for New Zealand. This will afford travellers and excursionists a splendid opportunity of visiting Fiji and the Friendly Islands. The time required for the trip is under a month from their arrival here. Whilst extending Fiji trade this line will assist New Zealand 1 also. We understand a cricket match is likely to eventuate between the Levuka Cricket Club and the Union Steamship Company on the return of the Arawata. The nautical men stipulate that there must be no practice beforehand. '