SHIPPING TRADE AT THE FIJIS.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1285, 18 January 1870, Page 8

SHIPPING TRADE AT THE FIJIS.

During the year 1867, there entered/Levuka 3797 tons of shipping, last year in increased 5000 tons, and this year has reached 6000 tons. It must be remembered that thia tonnage consists of regular trading ships, having as a rule their resident agents or owners. We hare also an insular fleet of small craft, estimated in the aggregate at 600 tons, constantly employed trading between the 200 islands and islets of our fertile Group, and bringing to this port for transhipment the cargoes of beche-de-mer, cocoa nut oil, and cotton. The over-sea shipping trade fco Rji, unlike that entering at Samoa or Tahiti, is seldom or never broken in upon by a mere passer-by, in want of stores or refreshments, but consists, as stated above, of lona fide traders to the country. At Samoa there entered last year about 5900 tons of British shipping, of which two-thirds were Colonial bonnd vessels from California, and whalers. There was exported some 500,000 pounds of clean cotton, of 1428 bales, chiefly of the kidney variety ; the quantity of oil is unknown, sis the principal merchants there export the dried kernel of cocoanut, instead of exporting the oil as formerly. Fiji exported 700,000 pounds of clean cotton, chiefly of fine varieties, worth £31,000, and other produce to the value of £10,000. The number of British ships entering the Ports of Papiete in 1867 was 33, aggregating 7000 tons, with cargoes valued at £44,880. We have stated 6000 tons, or 73 vessels, have already entered Levuka during the present year ; these ships employed 438 seamen and the values of their cargoes has been estimated by a critical observer to be worth £50,000. — Fiji Times.

We are glad to learn that the erection of the lighthouse at Cape Campbell is progressing well, and will probably be finished in about six weeks. The house is an open wooden structure sixty feet high, and the light will be a revolving white one, of the second order, visible at nineteen miles distance. The contractor is Mr. Carter, of Wellington, and the work is being carried on under the superintendence of Mr. C. J. Igglesden, C.E.—Wellington Evening Post.

Auckland Exports.—During the quarter ending December 31,1869, the following were the principal exports from Auckland Province : — Gold, 40,567 ounces, valued at £139,082 ; flax, 313 tons 2 cwts, valued at £9035; kauri gum, 732 tons 19 cwtg., valued at £31,089; and wool, 208,491 lbs., valued at £10,766. Total value of exports, £189,972; showing an increase over the September quarter of £43,852. With reference to the gold returns (saya the Southern Cross) the gold received from Westland is not included in the 40,557 ounoes. The receipts of gold at Auckland from Westland, during the quarter, were— Wesfcport, 4751 ounces, value £19,581; Greyuwutb, 2174 #OXIO6II, value £8697,

Coffee in SotrTir Australia. —A letter received from India by the last mail says an attempt to grow coffee on a large scale in South Australia is shortly about to be made by an Indian capitalist of great experience in coffee planting in India and elsewhere. Agents from this gentleman are expected by the next mail, when, should their report prove favorable, application will be at once made to the South Australian Groverumunt for a large tract of land on which to establish the plantation. It is said that should Australia not prove a favorable field of enterprise, Fiji will be visited. 'The population of Victoria in 1868 was upwards of 700,000, that of Melbourne and its suburbs alone being 174,663. The amount of public land sold during the year was a little over 275,000 acres, at the average price of £1 6s. Id. per acre, giving a revenue of £360,000. The stone quarried is valued at £57,610. 107 breweries made upwards of 17,000,000 gallons of beer. Pottery was made, worth £10,456. There were 853 manufactories, giving employment to about 11,000 males and 3000 females. The total quantity of gold exported was 1,657,498 ounces.

Victorian Diamonds. —The Argus states that the Australian Diamond Company hare forwarded 197 diamonds, weighing 51^ carats, to their agent in England, by the last mail. This parcel makes a total of 588 despatched from Melbourne since the opening of the mine. A telegram was yesterday received from the manager, at Mudgee, stating the result of last week's work at 61 diamonds, and 12ozs. 13dwts. 15grs. of gold. Some Chinamen who were robbing a henroost at ! Bendigo lately were surprised by a sudden whistle followed by a voice in a startling tone demanding, " Who are you ? " and following it up with, " Put him off!" Tli9 Celestials stayed not to answer the query, but with retiring modesty vanished, leaving behind them a bag and a pair of curious shoes. The Bpeaker was a magpie. The Government of Victoria has voted £2500 to the children of thel ate Eev. Mr. Hill, Wesleyan Minister, who was murdered by a prisoner at Pentridge, on the 14th May last. A Lucky Wateeman. —A waterman employed on the Derwent, in Tasmania, has recently come into a fortune of over £80,000. The fortunate individual in question received information by the last mail to the effect that an uncle of his in England had died, leaving £250,000 to be divided between him and two others. He has been a long time in the Colony, and declares his intention of remaining there and spending his newly-acquired wealth with those among whom he has lived so long. Saw. —The Melbourne Daily Telegraph gives the following : —" Not long since one of the flashest of the demi-monde of Melbourne was seized with a mortal sickness. During her illness conscience was at work, and she unceasingly longed for the rites of matrimony to make her an honest woman, to use the expression of the unfortunates. A brute, who lived on the poor girl's earnings, to satisfy her scruples, married'her in the evening. During the night her illness rapidly increased, and before morning she died. Immediately upon hearing of the death, the husband of the poor creature went to her residence and literally stripped the corpse of jewellery and clothing, and then abandoned the place to any comer. Eventually, the frail sisterhood subscribed among themselves to give the corpse a decent burial, while the spoiler of the dead refused to disgorge any of his prey for the purpose." The Natives of New Hebrides.—A letter from the Eev. W. Watt, the missionary specially appointed and maintained in the New Hebrides by the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, to the Rev. James Patterson, Wellington, has been published in a Wellington paper. Mr. Watt draws a dark picture of the savages among whom he is laboring. Writing from the Island of Tanna, he says:—" So long as Mr. Inglis and his people remained here the natives were uniformly civil, and stole nothing, although there was no lack of opportunity, but since that we have missed, now and then, knives, spoons, calico, &c. They are true to their character as expert thieves. A missionary has in more senses than one to be all things to all men. The number of things I have to turn my hand to in a day is astonishing. The nipple of a musket, is broken, I must take it out, or something is wrong about the chamber of the musket, and I must unscrew it; a rivet has come out of the handle of a knife, and the demand is made on me to replace it, or perhaps the handle has been burnt, and I must put on a new one ; then the handle of an axe will be broken in the head, and I must take it out. So troublesome was this becoming that I told them all who wished me to mend anything lor them must bring me a yam, and this has given me a relief. The people here are dark-hearted, naked, painted, savages. A musket, powder, tobacco, and hatchets are the articles they most value. The powder is collected to be at hand in case of war. They have no desire to learn to read; about half a dozen come for a lesson on Sabbath forenoon after worship, but, as you may readily suppose, their progress is not rapid. The attendance on Sabbath averages about 30, and on Wednesday it has been as high as 17 and as low as 1."

The LATE Fraud on the Victorian Customs.— According to the Melbourne Argus the papers relating to the attempted frauds at the Customs have been laid on the table of the Legislative Assembly. It appears that a large quantity of goods of various descriptions, imported by Messrs. Levy Brothers in the Kate Kellock, Ernestine, Alexander Dutliie, Holmsdale, Duke of Edinburgh, and Essex were seized for being fraudulently entered, with a view of evading a portion of the duty payable thereon. The fraud consisted of the compilation here of invoices not only materially reducing the value, but also, in many instances, the quantities, and was obviously the most deliberate and systematic fraud yet discovered. Mr. Goodman Levy admitted the attempted fraud to Mr. Tyler, the collector of Customs, on" the 24th November. A false declaration had likewise been made on each entry. The amount of the revenue sought to be evaded was £268 13s. 9d. Messrs. Levy Brothers had made themselves amenable to the law, under the Bth section of the Act No. 306, whereby the goods were liable to forfeiture ; and the 134 th and the 165 th clauses of the Customs Act, 1857, under the former of which a penalty af £100 had been incurred for each false declaration, of which there were 13 ; the penalty under the latter clause being treble the value of the goods, or £100, at the election of the Commissioner of Customs. On the 28th October, 1867, the same firm which attempted these frauds was fined £1119s. for undervaluing axes and handles for duty. The Commissioners of Customs, having considered tlie foregoing circumstances, fined Messrs. Levy Brothers i £1000, the goods seized to be given up on their paying the duty due in excess of that fine; and the fine and additional duty were paid.

Goldsmith's Work.—The progress of Fine Art manufacture in this branch of rade is strikingly exemplified in a little work published by J. W. Benson, of 25, Old Bond Street, and of the City Steam Factory, 58 and 60, Ludgate Hill. It isenriched and embel-, lished with designs (by Italian, French, and English artists) of Brooches, Bracelets, Earrings, and other articles suitable for personal wear, or Wedding, Birthday, or other presents, with their prices. Mr. Benson (who holds the appointment to H.E.H. the Prince of Wales) has also published a very interesting pamphlet on the Eise and progress of Watch and Clock-making. These pamphlets are sent post free for two stamps each, and they cannot be too strongly recommended to those contemplating a purchase, especially to residents in the country or abroad, who are thus enabled to select any article they may require, and have it forwarded with perfect safety.— Advt.