The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1871-12-06

place and pay such as so often disgrace Austria
han Legislatures. The native FUians, who, as
regaris the residents of foreign birth, number
over sixty to one, viii not be lble tocomprehend
the nature Of these party fights. aud will only
regard them personal quarrels arising out Of
some kind Of misconduct They will not only
soon be made to believe that those who have as
sumed representative functions are rather seekers
Of personal ACCOMPLISHMENT or profit than Of the
public good, but they will not be wrong IN that
belief. aud an overwhelming breach between those
who aspire to govern and those who are governed
as well as between natives and foreigners in gen
eral, viii thus be created Among the whites
themselves-a comparatively very small com
munity where everybody knows everybody, and
where the time Of most people is fully occupied.
or ought to be, in some kind OF industry immedi.
ately productive Of material wealth-Parliauient-
aTy squabbles will be fruitful source Of discord
should have small hope for the success Of FUian
. Constitutional Government, if thought that
such party struggles as we have from time to
time-in season and out Of season-in the Aus
traHas were to be re-euacied at Levuka. But
hope and believe that the danger Of this part Of
the scheme will be perceived in time and that
as the ConStitution-makers OF FIJI have followed
50 very closely the model of the Hawaiian
Islands, they will adopt the system Of govern
meut which has, IN those Islands. proved so sue
eesstul. The Constitutional Government there
is worked from above. and not from below The
ministerial appointments not being dependent
upon Parliamentary majorities, the debates never
assume the aspect OF party struggles. bat are
consultations for the public good, in which the
/ opinions Of the gentlemen who constitute the
/ Government" have, by common consent, the
most weight, as being the opinions Of those who
I have had the greatest experience, and have been
able TO afford the most time and consideration to
matters affecting the public veal. Ministers
thus situated are more truly and fully responsible
than those who are placed and sustained in Office
by their ability to command a working Parlia-
meniaFy majority, and To stave Of votes Of want
Of confidence" There are many ways in which
these things can be managed, bu, it would be i'm
possible Tor really Incompetent or obnoxious
Minister to retain Office long. To say nothing of
the pressure Of public opinion, there would be
always At hand the remedy by impeachment on
political grounds, provided for BY the Fijian Con-
stitution, when even the pardon Of the King in
Council could not keep the offender in Office
Or there might, as is also provided by the same
Constitution in reference to Judges, &c, be
removal from Office on resolution passed by
two-ihirds Of the Legislative Assembly Iafter due
notice 10 the accused, and having heard his de-
Tense for good cause shown to the satisfaction
Of the King" The difference would be that, as
in any such case there would be no change of
Ministry. bat only the removal Of single func-
ti0nary whose successor would have to be ap-
pointed by the King, it would be only when a
Minister vas really deserving of displacement
that such displacement would be sought for.
The work Of providing and regulating labor
for the plantations OF FIJI is one which the FJian
Government will have to undertake It Is one
Of the most difficult of the tasks which these
gentlemen have before them. speak here of
the Government in its widest sense-not Of the
Ministry only, but of both Ministers and legis-
lators. There have hitherto been three sources
from which labor has been supplied - Fjian la
borers hired ia the ordinary way or through their
chiefs men imported from the other islands;
and FJials sentenced to labor on a plantation BY
way Of punishment, the planters paying the Gov
ernment for their services Fijians work pretty
vel when isolated, although not when near home,
bet foreign labor is generally preferred when it
can be bad. Itmay, think. be taken for granted
that what may be termed the home supply Of the
labor market-zhether By hired men or convicted
criminals-Eiil alEays be very far short Of the
demand. Without just at present entering upon
any statements or discussions as to xhether the
imported lsborers are but slaves under another
name. may fairly assume that the supply Of
labor from this source must soon cease, or nearly
So The labor trade has been tried and con-
demnsd by those who have the power Of giving
effect 10 their verdict The British authorities
have not only eginced determination 10 watch
for and punish With severity every infraction Of
the law as it stands. but an Act Is about to be
passed 5y the Imperial Parliament, which will
render The Law itself mach more stringent. Every
British subject whO shall Be knowingly connected,
1lIerli! VI iN4llrclgf Win tbe removal Ot any
Islander from bis home N any other manner than
upon distinctly understood e0n;raet, for de-
Eaits term Of service, viii be held guilty Of q
felony. and made Punishable accordingly Every
imaginable species Of direct or indirect pariicipa-
ton will Be carefully set oct and declared feloni-
Gus 80 that in cases Of real guilt it viii be scarcely
possible 70 escape eoDvietioa. The tales Of mas
saere and saffsring which have been Of late 50
frequent, sh0E thsi there are other and greater
dangers Ehieh anyone going on q labor cruise"
shosld ealealats upon sBeOgoteFing. With 30
mary risks d ysri01s kinds. and with no great
certainty, after all, Of securing good cargo, both
shipoEoers and mariners viii gradually become
shy Of this trade, and will scarcely venture upon /
It sDIsss they can materially increase their chances
Of pr0ft b. 2 corresponding increase in their
charges f0r passage money ETsn thea, With the
competition of Queensland 70 contend aganst,
the Flizn planters viii probably have greatly
diminished and still further diminishing supply Of
lsb0r, While st the sane time they Eiii have 70
psy more forit Vessels sailing undsr the flags
Of other nations may, it Is true, be emPiOyed and
the rigorous lzss Of Great Britain, in reference