The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1893-10-03
Rich Yield From the son-rhe Natives
We'll treated and Coutentcd.

very near future, probably, the War
rimoo and Miowers will make Suva,
the island capital, regular port OF
call. The three weeks trip to Austria.
la will thus be so divided-in three
almost equal parts-as to break the
monotony OF the voyage, and from the
point of view Of freight Suva ought to
prove in time as good a customer as
Honolulu now is. That viii mean 4
great deal for the line.
One of the passengers on the Aus
tralian steamer which has just reach
ed Victoria, is ]. johnson, now on his
way from Australia to the West In
dies, but who has spent seven years
on the FIJI islands. Mr.. johnson is
quite sanguine as TO the advantage to
be derived from including the islands
on the Canadian-AustFalian route.
THE group" he says, consist of
upwards of two hundred islands, lying
about 1850 miles or five and a half
days steaming from Sydney. Their
only regular communication with the
outside world at present, is furnished
by steamer running fortnightly TO
sydney, in New South Wales, and
another running in alternate fort.
nights to Auckland, in New Zealand.
Sailing vessels from England occa-
sionally arrive with supplies.
Having been eeded by the chiefs to
the British crown. the islands were
formally annexed in 1874 They are
governed as 4 crown colony. The
governor, who is also colonial secre-
tary and commissioner of native
affairs, is Sir John Bates Thurston,
who has been in the islands since he
was . young man, and was member
Of the Fijian parliament under King
Cakabau. He presides over the legis-
lative council, whose members are all
nominated by the crown. After the
annexation the native chiefs were
provided for by being appointed gov
errors, or "rokos," as they are called,
Of the several districts into which the |
islands are divided. A native parlia-
ment, called the ''vei bosse,n is held |
once year, the members all being |
chiefs oyera certain rank, who discuss |
affairs affecting the natives only, and |
make representations to the governor, |
who formally opens the native parlia-
ment and then leaves the chiefs to /
deliberate in private.
"The population of the islands is
close on 125,00O, the native FiJians
numbering about 10000. There are |
between 1000 and $500 whites, and the
remainder are Indian coolies, Polyne-
SLAMS and Chinese. The climate is
very pleasant and healthy, averaging
al orrf - IarrraaS II, of1a caoSov1 ond On
degrees in the other. The heat is al
ways tempered by the trade winds.
In the season from December to March
there is a pretty considerable rainfall,
but the rest of the year is very fine.
''Nolcanic in its nature, the soil is
exceedingly productive. The chief
products are sugar, bananas, pine
apples, yams, tea and coffee, bread
fruit, plantains, peanuts, taro, cocoa
nuts, maize and arrowroOt. The
export of bananas and pineapples to
New Zealand and Australia is very
large. The yam, which in Fiji takes
the place of the potato, is highly pop |
ular article of diet with the white pop !
ulation. Many prefer it to the potato,
and there ought to be a good market |
for it if exported to America. Vans
are obtainable all the year round, and
sell at about 60 per ton. Coffee grow Z
ing has been almost abandoned for .
the present, owing to the ravages of
4 disease imported from Ceylon. Or
anges grow all the year round, but !
having been altogether neglected are
Of poor quality. The pines and ba-
1anas are very good, and IN great fav- /
Or. The tea is Of high quality, but is I
mostly used for local consumption,
the industry being as yet only in its l
infancy.
"Sugar is the great staple. The
are chiefly owned by the
Colonial Sugar Co, of Sydney, who c
export the entire product to the Aus
ralian colonies. The labor employed
vas mostly kanaka until seven Or
light wears ago, when the Fijian gov y
eminent made an agreement with In
liza for the importation Of coolies, of q
yhom there are now 5000 or 5000 en- !,
flowed. The labOreTs are well looked
lfter By inspectors of immigration,
Who make frequent visits to the plan q
ations. The kanakas are not paid in Y
money, but in trade, mainly cloth, 4
znives. hatchets, and similar articles, :
which are sold under government L
at prices determined by Il
.ontract. The pay of the kanaka is q
lot extravagant, being e3, or SIS !,
,ear. so that at the end Of the three ;,
ears for which they contract they 4
ave SIS coming to them OF course s
hey are maintained by the planters, b
Who also pay their passage money to q
fiji and make deposit to cover the
ost of their passage back. The cool +
&C orat an average of o shilling day.
he native Fijians live by fishing, or Il
" the cultivation of small tracts of n
and allotted to them by the crown. q
hey are we'll adapted for working, =
ut the government discourages their
nployment on the plantations.
stSuva, the capital, is on the island a.
Z Viii Lew, the largest in the group, OF
nd il is on this island that the sugar z
ldustry is principally carried on, the Ia
limitations being on either side of the II
ITarN1 ion ~ q Is