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Star (Christchurch), Issue 597, 21 April 1870, Page 3

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« We have received, via Auckland, files of the Fiji Times to the 25th February. From them we take the following items : — A case of cannibalism is spoken of a» having taken place on Vanua Levu. Her Britannic Majesty's Consul has appointed Mr Towson to be Postmaster in Fiji. A registry for mortgages and bills of sale has been opened at the British Consulate for such as choose to take advantage of it. Tui Cakau's secretary (Mr Boss) has been at work taking a census. He rates the amount of taxes which will be paid to the chief this year at about .£SOOO. A lot of Bau men are playing great pranks in Wairiki, killing all the pigs, eating up all the food, &c. These Bau men are not particular whether they kill a white man's pig or a native's. The cotton crop continues good, and the fielding season at its height. The Norman left the Rewa, for Sydney, on the 15th, with 142 baleß, and the Eagle left Levuka the same day, with 77 bales, to call at the Yaaowas on her way to Sydney for a further quantity. Application was made to Cakobau a short j time ago to punish the natives who had assaulted Mr and Mrs Gardner, on Viti Levu. We were pleased to hear that the chief recognised the heinousness of the offence, and gave orders for the arrest of the offenders, so th .t they might be punished. The man Wilbur, one of the unfortunate sufferers on board the Ringdove, has been sent to New Zealand in the Creßtof the Wave, by H.M.s Consul. He is in much the same state as when he arrived at Levuka. The inhabitants very kindly contributed a sum (some £10) to provide a few necessaries for his comfort on his journey. In a case of violence charged against a white settler, the consul stated that he was wilhout magisterial powers, and would act if six Englishmen would sit with him. The case was, on investigation, dismissed, but it was deeded that in future public meetings should be called when necessary to arrest anyone under the consul's jurisdiction, and tbat action should be taken in the name of the meeting. The following notice, posted outside the British Consulate, we publish for general information : — " With a view to the protection of their interests, and the avoidance of much trouble and perhaps loss, British subjects are reminded that their mercantile transactions can be recorded, for the information of the community, in her Majesty's Consulate. The consul may decline to interfere in any matter not so registered. The hurricane of the 16th passed chiefly over the Windward Islands. At Taviuni it had done some mischief to the crops, blown i down some of tbe houses, and sunk a few b^ats at their anchorage ; but tbe papers speak of the extent of the damage as on the whole slight, owing we presume to the hoijses destroyed being only of native structure, and therefore inexpensive. The wooden add other houses, built at Lsvuka, in European style, suffered in a very slight degree, I the damage being confined to the loosening of iron or shingles on the roof. Several narrow escapes of boats and small crafts, at sea j during the hurricane, are reported. The little cutter Abigail, of four tons,. was blown from her anchorage at Wakaya, and under ; bare poles, ran in an hour, through a raging I sea, to Levuka, a distance of twelve m les. The most remarkable part of the little craft's voyage, was the passing through tbe breakers on the reef, which was effected, providentially, without the loss of the vessel, and the certain destruction of all on board, which must have been the result. In the Rewa district the hurricane, was but slightly felt.