FIJIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3139, 25 April 1883, Page 2

FIJIAN NEWS.

[By Telegraph.] (Per s.s. Suva at Auckland.) Auckland, April 24. The news received from Fiji by the arrival of the e.s. Suva, comprises little of interest to New Zealand readers. The following is from files of Fiji papers : It is much to be regretted that while efforts are being made by the mercantile community of this colony to extend the trade at present existing between Fiji and New Zealand, and while these efforts are being energetically seconded by the Union S.S, Company, of New Zealand, who have shown every disposition to encourage trade by placing fast aud commodious steamers on the route,

that their continuous efforts, and those of many interested in New Zealand in the extension of the trade, should be to a great extent defeated by a combination of a few greedy speculators who, totally oblivious of the good old story of killing the goose which laid golden eggs, have sought to monopolise for their own benefit the whole of the profit which attaches to the fruit trade, forming what is technically known as a “knockout’’for the purpose of purchasing the whole shipment of bananas at their own price, to be afterwards resold at actual market rates warranted by the existin' demand.

A°portion of the out-going cargo per s.s. Rockton consists of 450 tons of sugar from the mill of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company at Nausori Rewa. This Company have made overtures to the Australian Navigation Company to run two vessels per month between Fiji and Sydney, in which case they undertake to import all their coal and to export all tiieir sugar by that Company’s vbssblb* The “Suva Times” states that the Albatross, Soa Breeze, Meg Merrilies, Winifred, Windward, Minnehaha and Midge, had all left Suva in search of labor prior to the 7tli inst., the two latter being bound for the Line Island ; while the Hatty Bailey, Mavis, and| Lizzy Davis had entered outwards. The Oaraarn and Fairlie are also expected to clear. Altogether about eighteen vessels will this season be employed in recruiting Polynesian laborers, among which are the Heath, Sovereign, and Eairleigh, new vessels. _