FIJI NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14144, 20 August 1909, Page 7

FIJI NEWS.

-" [from ora own * correspondent.] Suva, August 11. The opening event of the month was the arrival of our Governor, Sir Everard im Thurn, who returned: to Fiji from England per R.M.S. Aorangi. Monday (a public holiday) was a beautiful day, bright, and clear, and the public made preparations to give His Excellency a right hearty welcome. Two pretty arches had been erected near the wharf, bunting festooned the business houses. ; The Aura and Ranadt dressed ship, and were ready to take the Town Board and citizens down channel to escort the mailboat up, and further, H.M.S. Flora and Cambrian were to supply a guard of honour. Alas, for " the beet-laid schemes of mice and men," they "went agley" this time, the tardy old packet not making her appearance till 9.30 p.m., when His Excellency quietly came ashore, and drove to Government. House. The official, reception took place at 10 a.m. next day, in the presence of a large crowd, and the A.N.C. formed a guard of honour (in absence of the bluejackets, who sailed for Colombo the evening before). It rained hard all the time, and the school children were drawn up for shelter on the verandah of the new post office. In view of the weather, the addresses from th i people of Suva and Levuka and the Methodist missions were read in the Town Hall. His Excellency made a hearty and practical reply, and later received an address from the Chamber of Commerce, at Government House.

His Excellency and Lady im Thurn held an "At Home" at Government House on the sth. ' It was largely attended, of course, and the Town Band played. The weather was perfect, and the grounds were seen to great advantage. The Flora and Cambrian%left on the afternoon of the 2nd for Cllombo, via Thursday fsland, to pay off. Two fouroared skiffs from the Flora and Prometheus had a race that morning, and after a fine contest the Floras won by two lengthsSoon after the race the man-of-war moorings and neighbourhood presented a uniquely pretty and interesting sight. It was "general boat evolutions" for these two ships and the Prometheus. Some score or so of boats, from dinghys to cutters, fully manned, rowed out and round the pile light, and the Jacks of the various snips strained all they knew to show a lead to their chums. As the boats got in a line with the light the aspect was one of a splendid race with a big field. H.M.S. PrometheuS/is still in port. On Monday, August 2, a football team from this ship met a Suva team, and after a really good game the local men won by three goals to one. On „ August 5 a rifle team from the warship fired against a team from Suva Club, and they, too, suffered defeat, the local men beating them by 51 points. A cricket match took place a couple of days later. '

The Hon. A. Erhardt, Attorney-General, returned from England by the Aorangi, after, a year's leave in the Homeland. Three competing architects'arrived here from New Zealand, per Navua, to have a look at the site of the forthcoming tourists' hotel, opposite the cricket ground. The gentlemen are Messrs. Salmond, Arnold, and Jones. It is understood that they return: by the Navua. '" '■•;•

TwoSUidians have been sentenced, to death at th 4 sessions, and many others received long sentences, some with strokes of the cane added, for assorted specimens of crime. ■ ~ , J ,•;■■'■ - ,;

The recruiting schooner Clansman arrived from the Solomons on the 6th inst., with 122 recruits, after only being absent from Suva just four months. The captain reports things very prosperous and flourishing in the group. Burns, Philp, and Co. have formed a new company for planting there, with a capital of "£IOO,OOO, and Lever Bros, and others have also large properties.

Mr. H. Elgood and Miss Florrie Mullen, eldest daughter of the licensee of the Club Hotel, were quietly married at the residence of the bride's parents, a short time since, .and after the wedding the newly-coupled ones left i r or Sydney per s.s. Suva- ''~';'. " ■'•'-:.

-The French cruiser Kersaint arrived here from Tahiti on the 10th inst. She is on her way to New Hebrides for patrol work.- ..-.'••.. !.' .>'

A distinguished Frenchman is staying at Griffiths' Hotel at present, in the person of Surgeon-Captain Brochard, the newly-appointed French Eesident for Wallis Island. He was with a scientific expedition to Central Africa. He is also a prominent member of the famous Pasteur Institute. During his sojourn at Hankow, China, the doctor married the charming American lady who (is his wife. , Mr. A. Mahaffy, Assistant-High. Commissioner for the Western Pacific, arrived here with Mrs. Mahaffy' by the Makura on Monday. His future movements are, so far, unknown. Mr. J. 0. Forth, a Civil servant dating back to 1883, and Government auditor for the past 18 years, has retired on his pension. Both Mr. and Mrs. Forth were well-known figures in the local musical world.

The Melbourne-Fiji service still hangs in the wind, and, to all appearances, is like the •' air-drawn" dagger in "Macbeth."

I hear that a seam of good anthracite coal has been struck somewhere in the group. By the s.s. Fiona, on the 10th, there arrived from Sydney a powerful boat for the Government service. She is 60ft in length and has a 25 h.p. Standard en-' gine. All our local boat-builders are continually turning out new motor launches, and the native cutter fleet is being continually augmented with shapely and useful craft.

The appearance of Suva is rapidly and notably improving, new buildings* and renovations completely altering the aspect. Messrs. A. M. Brodziak's handsome twoetorey concrete store, with its ornamental facade, is now nearing completion, and would- be a credit to any city. Brown and Joske's new two-storeyed wooden building, with its fine balcony, is also a fine addition to our business houses, and the new post office, with its stuccoed walls and tiled roofs, is decidedly picturesque and pleasing to the eye. Our main street, too, is at last being. put in decent order.