THE FIJI ISLANDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 1 May 1890, Page 16

THE FIJI ISLANDS.

INTERVIEW WITH A FIJI MERCHANT. I Mr Henry Cave, of the firm of Cave and Co., merchants, Levuka, is now in Dunedin, en route to London. He has been a resident of Levuka for the past 18 years, and during 13 years of that period he bad been connected with the Levuka Chamber of Commerce, while for several years he was chairman of it. In social work, as well, Mr Cave has been very energetic, and the efforts made in the same direction by his wife have nob been unavailing, but have doubtless helped in no small degree to raise the standard of native life in the islands. Having had so many years connection with the commercial affairs of that colony, it was only to be expected that Mr Cave would be able to readily detail the position and the prospects of Fiji, and a representative of this journal, who waited on him yesterday, found that he was not only willing to give such information, but was was also prepared to give it. In fact, Mr Cave, who is going Home on private business, intends whenever the opportunity occurs on his journey, to relate for the benefit of the world outside Fiji what are the advantages of the colony, its present position, its prospects, and, generally, to give such information regarding it as may lead not only to the improvement of the commercial affairs of the colony, but to the advantage of those who may decide to make their home on oue or other of the isles. He is accredited to the London Chamber of Commerce, the Imperial Institute, and several commercial bodies at Home, and was elected by his own chamber to represent it at the conference of chambers of commerce lately held here, but he was unable, owing to business engagements, to push his way down in time to attend the meetings. Since his advent to Dunedin he has, of course, visited THE EXHIBITION. He regards it as most creditable to the colony. Referring to the Fiji exhibit, Mr Cave says: " I am only sorry our colony has not made a better show, but the depression that exists and that has existed for some time past in Fiji has to some extent damped the ardour of our producers for going to the expense of sending exhibits, in addition to which our Governor, Sir John Thurston, took up a very hostile position towards the exhibition, and point blank declined either to give any Government financial assistance or to give any Government encouragement at all to Fiji exhibitors." THE CONDITION OP THE ISLANDS. In snswer to a question as to the condition of the various islands composing the colony, Mr Cave referred our reporter to his addresi delivered before the Levuka Chamber of Commerce last January. In it Mr Cave stated that the value of the total imports tor the year 1888 was £183,222, an«l of the total exports for the same period £376,978, showing an increase over 1887 in the total volume of £91,048. In 1881 the imports were valued at £276,040, and they increased till 1884, when their value was estimated at £303329, but since then they had steadily fallen away, and in 1888, as stated above, their value was put down at only £183,222. The coffee industry was on the wane, the export in 1888 being only 9521b, as against 210,2041b in 1883. He was hopeful, however, that the coffee industry would soon spring up again, " provided that reliance can be placed on an active fostering sympathy from the Government in place of the former hollow profession of goodwill to the planter, with an actual undermining of his venture by the imposition of harassing, costly, and impossible regulations for the conduct of his business at a time when he was manfully struggling with natural adversity." At one time cotton was the staple product of Fiji, but its export had gradually dwindled down until in 1888 it was only three and arhalf tons. The price of labour and other attendant expenses in the cost ot production had proved to ho too great. The green fruit industry had, however, been in a flourishing state. In 1881 there were 73,583 bunches of bananas sent away and 517,666 bunches in 1888, and Mr Gave thought that with better shipping facilities the trade would still further increase. In 3-881 the export of maize was 34,248 bushels, but since that year it had barely averaged half that quantity annually. The sugar industry in the colony was in years a child, but still it over-topped all the others. In 1875 the production was 96 tons ; in 1888 the export reached 16,916 tons. Of other productions the exports in 1888 were : — Copra, 3440 tons; molasses, 79,497 gallons; peanuts, 346 tons ; dessieated coeoanuts, eight and a-half tons. So much for the past trade of the islands. At present two of the most thriving resources are found in the , * tea and aaaxn industhies. Mr Cave, when questioned on the point, said that the tea industry, which had only recently been started, gives every promise of increase. One feature of the industry that made it suitable to the colony was that the plant was so hardy, and in consequence hurricanes did it Jittle or no harm. The young budding leaves were the ones that were picked, and when there was a storm, which would denude the plant of the old leaves, the sun and rain that followed quickly brought out the new sprouts. It was a plant that required plenty of rain, and it got that in the islands. Of the sugar industry Mr O ave also speaks hopefully. He thinks the prosrrpss of the industry has been simply wonderful, and that it will rapidly extend very shortly. The priueipai producer is the Colonial Sugar Keflning <Oonipany,of Sydney, who also have a branch in Auckland. Thatcompany have large plantations, '.vith irrigation works, on the Rewa and Ba rivere, and it about to occupy another part of Levuka for the game purpose. TRADE WITH NEW ZEA.LA.ND. "In what position is your trade with New Zealand at present, Mr Cave ?" " Well," replied Mr Cave, " our present export, as I mentioned in my address, is much lower than what it once was, and consequently a Jarge amouut of our trade has fallen off. I consider that the trade done with New Zealand ss certainly capable of increase. At present the principal trade is done with Auckland. Wellington seade us meat; and I can say that the New Zealand meats have by degrees considerably ousted the Australian moat from oar market; but their sale might be further developed. Auckland supplies Fiji to a large extent with flour, biscuits, and soap, but then* is no reason why the iniilers in Dunedin and Ohristchurch should not g.t a fair share of this trade, and probably increase it. For many years the Melbourne and Adelaide flour has been preferred by consumers in Fiji, but Utterly the Auckland flour millers have b-en pubhing their business a good dpal, and are now cutting out tha Australian flour. The freights to Fiji from Christchurch and Dunedin are very similar to those from Hydney and Melbourne; therefore, there -is no] reason why the Dunedin, Christclmreli, snd Wellington merchants should not be able to do the trade as well as Sydney and Melbourne merchants. Our exports to New Zealand iD 1885 were valued at £48,00©, and in 3LBBB at JE178.000, whereas our imports from New ZeaJand were £37.874 in 1885, and had only increase! to £38,863 i» 1888, Thus, wtrile pur

exports to New Zealand have quadrupled in three years the imports from it have remained almost stationary. This would appear to indicate a want of energy on the pait of your merchants. ', Our largest imports are from New South Wales, where they pay more attention to the Fiji trade, although they are »t a greater disadvantage than New Zealand in the matter of distance. We imported from them in 1885 goods valued at £128,436, and in 1888 the value was £114,182 ; while we exported in 1 985 various goods valued at £182,740, and at £54,173 in 1888. The principal reason for the decrease in the export of produce from Fiji to Sydney is that since the establishment of a sugar refinery in Auckland New Zealand has become a larger importer of raw sugar for refining purposes. Our present export of bananas to New Zealand does not, I suppose, exceed 5000 bunches per month, but with better shipping facilities that quantity would be greatly increased, and not only shippers but the shipowners themselves would be benefited. If, for instance, the Union Steam Ship Company were to make the trip to Dunedin in 10 days, calling at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, a vast amount of trade would result to them. Their instructions now are to run at the rate of 10 knots an hour, which enables the fruit to be landed in good enough condition in Auckland, but before it gets further south it is in an unsatisfactory state. The Levuka Fruit Industrial Association, which was formed with a view to fostering fruit production in the vicinity of Levuka, made a shipment of 700 bunches of j bananas to Wellington last November. About 150 bunches were not landed at all, and the greater part of the balance was not in a fit condition for the market, so that on that small venture £45 was lost. In December a shipment of 600 bunches was made, at a cost of £95, a&d only 16s 4d was realised for the same reason. The bananas were kept on the steamer in Wellington for three days. Of course, good steamer communication would develop reciprocal trade, and for that reason I think a little more attention should be given by steamship companies to the trade. We now send nearly 40,000 punches of bananas to Sydney, and Melbourne takes 12,000 a month from one man alone." POPULATION AND GOVERNMENT, •• Is it not a fact, Mr Gave, that the white population of the Fiji group has decreased very I much of late years ? " " Yes, that is so, lam sorry to say ; but what more could you expect with such a system of government as ours ? It is the reverse of encouraging. Fiji is what I might call a Crown colony of the severest type, and the principles on which government is administered have had an obstructing effect on the progress of the colony from the first. From about the time that Fiji was made a British colony, the Chamber of Commerce and other local bodies have been continually pointing out to Sir Arthur Gordon how disastrous his 'native policy ' would prove, and now, years afterwards, the sequel has amply fulfilled our forecasts. For instance, about five years ago, there was in Fiji a white population of about 3500, but at the end of 1888 it was only 1900. When Sir Arthur Gordon carried out his policy in spite of all protestations, we had a goodly number of planters and agriculturists — men of independent character, and not afraid to speak their mmd — but to-day it is almost impossible to get an independent view from anybody. The majority oS the best men have left, and most of those who remain are so dependent on the Government, and are so interested in keeping in with the Government, that sound public opinion is very difficult to obtain. The natives themselves are subjected to the most harassing restrictions under the native policy ; so much so, indeed, that Sir William Hackett, our first Chief Justice, called their treatment ' legitimised slavery.' The Government consists of a Governor and a Legislative Council, all nominated. When Sir Arthur Gordon asked me to take a seat in the Council some years ago I agreed, on condition that be would act upon his expressed intention of selecting representative men for it, but he did not altogether carry that intention out, and in consequence I declined] the offer. After^ Sir Arthur Gordon left we had Sir William DesVceux, who continued his predecessor's policy, aud then came Sir John Thurston, first as Administrator and then as Governor. He was very unpopular in Fiji, and for some time previous to his coming out as Governor, the press was very virulent in its abuse of him. lie gave it out, in all sincerity no doubt, that he was arranging for the establishment of large oil mills, and professed a great desire to do what he could for the yeomen settlers, and prevent their '• exodus " from the colony. Up to the present, however, that exodus still continues. Naturally, the settlers have had the matter under consideration. They have made strenuous EFFOETS TO PE ANNEXED to Victoria or to New Zealand, but the movement in both cases was not a success, chiefly from want of sufficient sympathy on the part of the other colonies. The view of the settlers was, and to a large extent is, that Fiji as a tropical province attached to one of the other colonies, with free trade between them, would result in a benefit to both parties. We would get our tea, coffee, sugar, and all fruits duty free into these colonies, and on the other hand we couid obtain jn exchange the manufactures and products of these colonies also duty free." " What is the native population estimated at?" " It is roughly set down at 121,800, or abous 2000 less than in 1885." WHAT FIJI BEQUIBES. Questioned on this point, Mr Cave said : • k That is a very wide question, but in dealing with it J may say that the depression in Fiji has been very severe for the past three or four years, and tbe effect on the value of real estate has been very disastrous, but this may not be altogether an unmixed evil if it should lead to renewed enterprise in the growth of our products. Before, however, Fiji can hope to be » successful colony, in my opinion, the system or government must be less autocratic, and have at least some local representative element in it. It is a calumny on thß European settlers as a whole to accuse them of any desire whatever to maltreat the natives, and I am sorry to say that this position cJE maligning the white settlers has been taken up too »?uph by Exeter Hall at Home for the furtheranco of their views. JSgeter Hall is strong ; the white settlers of Fiji are politically weak. The weak have suffered, and very often most unjustly. Our present Governor, Sir John Thurston, came to Fiji in a very humbl9 capacity. He has attained the premier position in the colony, an<J he is in possession of sufficient local knowledge to tlo much to imnrove tha position of the colony if he chose. He "professes his decire to do so, but; we should be better pleased if the profession were more quickly followed up by suitable action. No doubt he is tied down by the 'native policy' inaugurated bj Sir Arthur Gordon — a caan of great influence &b' Home, wad with whose policy none bit a strong government eouid interfere. Still, much oould be 4on£ to modify the oFgr-protective policy towards the natives by giving them more individual liberty and .freedom of action, so that a native might work for himself and reap the benefit of the fruits of his labour personally, jnsj;ead of its being liable t;o division amongst his

people. The government of the natives is carried on greatly on the communistic principle, and the individual's right to benefit by his own labour is lost, the community of which he forms a unit reaping the principal advantage. The great drawback to this principle is that it chills the individual's incentive to work. Another thing the colony suffers from is in the fact that we have but one judge. The only appeal from his verdicts is to the Privy Council, and this only with the consent of the Supreme Court, and then only on legal technicalities, and the amount must exceed £500." In conclusion, Mr Cave said that he hoped when at Home to have the opportunity of meeting some of those who had to do the guiding of the destinies of Fiji. He also remarked that he was a stranger to New Zealand, but that he had been received with the utmost kindness wherever he had been, for which he was deeply grateful.