The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-08-08
From Australia and New Zealand.

By the arrival on Tuesday last Of the \ aud A
~steampship Nacyregor, from sydney via 6audavu.
we are in receipt of dates frem the former city to
July Alb, and from Auckland % The sth.
We compile items Of interest. from the Morning
Herald OF Sydney:
ONE Of the longest sessions Of Parliament known
in Australian history has just terminated, after the
passing OF an Act authOrlsiug the Government 10
raise { new loan of es06 800 for public works.
The Propagation speech promises increased activity
in constructing the lines Of railway already laid
out and trial surveys Of others likely 70 became
reproductive.
1t will interest scientists to know that the ia
struments requisite for observing the transit OF
Venus at the Sydney Observatory have arrived
safely, and are being placed in position Arrange
ments are also progressing for the temporary
stations at Goalbnrn, Eden. and Mount Victoria
The winter season is very severe in the inland
districts, where frosts have been prevalent. Snow
has fallen on the high table lands in the north.
west and south. There has been a considerable
rainfall during the past month. extending over the
greater part OF the colony.
II. b. NJ Challenger. on deep sea sounding ser
vice around the world, left sydney. June IL. bound
to Wellington, n. z From Wellington she will
proceed 10 Auckland. Fiji. New Hebtides. Solomons
TO New Guinea, Manila. Uougkong. the Inland
japanese Sea, Japan. aad across Che Pacific to
Vancouver. British Columbia San francisco. and
take the soundings Of the North Pacific, then 10 the
Sandwich Islands. thence south to Marquesas.
Society Islands TO Easter Island through the
Straits of Magellan and mp the east coast of South
America TO Rio. Janeiro (; across the Atlantic to
England, reaching there about August. 1876.
The Southern Cross Of Auckland. July 7, has the
following:
\ question likely to excite considerable interest
is lightly touched upon in the Governors speech.
We refer to proposals which it is well known have
been long under consideration for the encourage
ment OF a trade with the thousand islands dstting
the ocean regions, of which Auckland is the natn-
raj centre. These islands could exchange their
tropical produce for our wheat and cattle and tim
Der and a large and profitable trade would soon
follow a combined effort by a public company
working with adequate capital. We have iron
foundries and ship-building yards and other
industries requiring the skill Of white men for their
success. for which the tropical climate of the
Central Pacific islands will always be unsuitable.
The inevitable annexation of the Fiji Group must
lead 10 the opening mp of other portions of this
vast archipelago of which Auckland is geogrophi-
cally the best and nearest seaport in higher lati-
tudes. We shall await with interest details Of the
proposals which ii is understood have been under
consideration of the Government for the past six
months. AS the session proceeds, no doubt other
questions will be brought forward by independent
members, but so far as present appearances go,
it will be an unusually dull and short session.
Unless dissolved the present Parliament will meet
for another session, when its term will have ended
and the general elections follow.
The Hawaiian schooner DdlltieSS was cleared
out at the Customs yesterday for Norfolk Island
and Noumea, New Caledonia with a full cargo.
She was still lying at anchor in the stream at a late
hour last night, but it is expected that she will sail
to-day on her cruise.
FIJI.
Dates are to July IA. The annexationists are
disappointed and apparently almost tired of wait
ing for the acceptance by England of the sovereign
ty OF the Islands. The feeling appears to be gaining
ground that perhaps they have been too hasty in
the matter.
Speaking of the resources OF the group, a cores
pondent at Levuka says:
With tho abundant opd voriad racOuraaS for tho
creation of commerce lying, as it were, at the very
doors of the planters, it is really astonishing that
hitherto very few have turned their attention to
anything but the production OF cotton. Now, how
ever, sugar appears to be taking a place amongst
Fijian productions, and will doubtless ere long he
a considerable source of wealth. But there are
other products natural to the sail which might be
turned to good account, and at, comparatively
speaking, a triHing cost. Arrowroot grows in the
greatest abundance, and yet scarcely any of the
planters have paid any attention to the cultivation
of this valuable plant. The natives about Levuka
produce a little, which they occasionally bring
into town and dispose of to the townspeople.
Roughly as it is prepared by them. it is of a quality
far superior to any that can be purchased in the
shops either here or in Sydney and were it pro-
perly cultivated and prepared, its expectation
weuld. no Doubt, be both extensive and remunera-
tive. Tapioca could also be produced In large
quantities and of a superior quality. Hemp, equal
to Manila, could be produced in any quantity, in
almost every island of the group, and the machin-
cry necessary for its manipulation is of so simple
! character that very little capital would be re-
quired to start a mandatory of this kind. The
same kind OF plaintain, or banana, from which the
best Manila hemp is obtained grows spontaneously
in almost all the islands. but particularly on the
mountains and high lands of Viii Levu, which will,
in all probability. before long be open for pur-
chase. 1t is TO be hoped that when political matters
have assumed a more settled and definite character
attention will be given to subjects of this nature,
and thus resources be opened mp in Fiji, which at
the present time are wholly neglected, and in
many cases totally unknown.
King Thakomban's forces have entirely subdued
the interior tribes of Viii Lew, and now for the
fist time. one king is recognized throughout the
group.
The Messrs. Maitland have landed the " plant .
of a sugar mill at Taviuni, and the people begin
to talk sugar very confidently.