The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-01-02

The month has been barren OF social aud domeS-
tis incidents Of interest. There is scarcely one
worthy of special mention. We have been free
from 6Tes, foods, or any serious ealamiiies-
The financial statement OF the Provisional Col
onial Government OF FIJI for the twelve months
from 10th of October, 1873, has been published,
and should be of interest 10 our readers. The esti-
mated revenue is set ont 10 amount to e23.ST5; de-
riTable from the following sources Customs Du-
ties, Els, 900; pilotage and light dues. $500: ma
tive taxes-native labour, 81 500; fees and fines of
Courts, $3.50: licences to POlynesian immigrant
vessels. e200; wine and spirit licences, ESQ: auc-
tioneers' licences, Els; miscellaneous, $500. The
authorised expenditure is set down at eli 900 IS;
which leaves an estimated surplus for the year Of
f5S5T. The chief items of expenditure are as fol-
low Executive His Excellency the Governor,
nil; the Administrator Of the Government, nil;
Pension to TUT Viii (Thakombau), e900: Colonial
Secretary. eiO0; Colonial Treasurer. e40O; Secre-
tary for Native Affairs. E400; Chief Interpreter to
the Government, $500; Clerk TO the Executive
Council. 'e2O0; total G2,e00. Judicial" under
this head, the total of which is sl,4l0, we find set
forth Judge of Central Court and Chief Magistrate,
$500; Public Prosecutor and Legal Adviser TO the
Government, ESQ; Registrar and Sheriff. e240;
Colonial Secretary's Office, 300; postal. e260 s.;
Police. eI,450; Gaols, eI2e; Treasury Accountant.
goo. Customs. goo. including collector at e2O9
and harbOr master at e200. Native affairs. e532S;
establishment expenses, e4334, in which is includ-
ed a sum of el,6OO for rations for 200 men, and
clothing and allowances.
The articles of cession are contained in seven
paragraph. No. l sets forth the islands, lands.
harbors, rivers, &c, which may be annexed to. and
De a possession ana dependency OF the British
Crown. No. 2, That the form of Constitution, laws.
regulations, &c, shall be such as Her Majesty NAV
determine. No. 3. That, pending the establishment
Of a permanent form of Government. His Excellen-
cy, Sir Hercules Robinson. shall establish such
temporary or provisional Government as to him
shall seem meet. No. 4, 5. and 6 being the princi-
pal paragraphs, we transfer them in full "A. That
the absolute proprietorship OF all lands not sheWn
to be now alienated. so as to have become bona
fde the property OF Europeans or other foreigners,
or not now in the actual use or occupation of some
chief or tribe. or not actually required for the pro-
bable future support and maintenance of some
chief or tribe. shall be and is hereby declared to
be vested in her said Majesty, her heirs and success
sors. 5. That Her Majesty shall have power. when
ever it shall be deemed necessary for public pur-
poses, TO take any lands upon payment to the pro-
PTietor of a reasonable sum by way of compensa-
ton for the deprivation thereof. 6. That all the
existing public buildings, houses, and Offices, all
enclosures and other pieces or parcels of land now
set apart or being used for the public purposes,
and all stores, fittings. and other articles now be-
ing used in connection with such purposes, are
hereby assigned, transferred and made over to Her
said Majesty. Z. That on behalf or Her Majesty.
his Excellency Sir Hercules George Robert Robin
son promises III That the rights and interests of
the said TUi Viii and other high chiefs, the ceding
parties hereto, shall be recognised so far as is con-
sistent with British sovereignty and colonial form
of government. (2) That all questions of financial
liabilities and engagements shall be scrutinised,
and dealt with upon principles of Justice and sound
public policy. (3) That all claims to titles of land,
by whomsover preferred. and all claims to pen
slOns OF allowances, whether on the part oil the
said TUT Viii and other high chiefs or of persons
now holding Office under them or any of them,
shall in due course be fully investigated and equit-
ably adjusted.
His Excellency the Governor has directed it to
be notified, for general information, that no sale,
transfer, or assignment of land, or of any interest
therein, after the date of the 10th of October in
slant, will be recognised until the decision of Her
Majesty shall be known t~Onehing the settlement of
existing titles to land.
The capital already invesl in Fiji is reckoned
says a Melbourne ~contempora at about $780,
900. of which New South Walt has contributed
ESQ 600, Victoria eI6O, OOO, New Zealand $780,
900, Germany ESQ, 600, America and England E2O,-
600. One firm in Sydney has invested between
eco, 600 and 5000 and a Victorian firm between
ELS. 900 and 1000. 100000 worth of Fijian de-
bentures are held in New Zealand. OF the above
capital some ESQ, 900 are invested in small sailing
crafts and boats. 100000 in house property in
Levukd, 10000 in stocks in stores, and the bal
ance, viz. e50e, 900, in plantations.
We notice, by a paragraph in bur Australian
kilograms, that the Australian Steam Navigation
Company have decided to run a monthly steamer
to FIJI from Sydney, the first boat of which was to
leave on the 18th of November. 1t is evil
dent from this fact that the Sydney people are GO
ing in to secure, if possible, the Island trade.