The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-02-26
SHIPWREGKEB ONCE NEAR FIJI
Rose to High Rank as
Commissioner.
South Sea Horror-Trader Killed on
His Schooner Fortune Taken
From r. M. s. Oceana.

MELBOURNE, Fef. 9.-The remains
OF Sir John B. Thurston, who died
during the voyage of the Burrumbeet I
from Sydney to Melbourne, were re-
moved from the steamer today and 1
were conveyed to the mortuary at |
Richmond On Thursday the remains |
will be taken to Government House, /
and the funeral will start from there 4
at D. m for the Melbourne General 4
Cemetery. where the body will be in
TERED with military honors.
Sir John Thurston suffered from an
affection of the spinal cord, involving
atrophy of the muscles. which impeded I
both speaking and swallowing. a
change of climate was ordered him,
and on his arrival in Sydney he had
so greatly improved in health that
hopes were entertained of his recovery,
but during the voyage from Sydney to
Melbourne he suffered relapse and
died on Sunday.
REVIEW OF HIS CAREER.
BY the death of Sir ]. B. Thurston.
X. c. NJ. G.. F. L. s., F. R. G. s., Great
Britain has lost one of her most cap
able colonial administrators, and the
foremost man in the Western Paci
fic His death was not unexpected, as
he had been ailing for long time,
but when he left Sydney a few days
ago-haying just previously arrived
from Fiji-it was hardly anticipated
that before the vessel reached Mel
bourne he would have passed away.
John Bates Thurston was born at
Bath, Worcestershire on.31st January,
1886.
At an early age he went to sea, and
after sometime spent in New South
Wales, he was wrecked on one of the
South Sea Islands He was a passen-
ger by a vessel which in the early
sixties was wrecked on the island of
Rotumah. about 300 miles to the north
OF Fiji. From there he and his COM
panions in misfortune were taken by
the Rev Mr.. Calvert, missionary, to
Fiji, with which he was ever after
wards prominently identified. In 1866
Mr. Thurston obtained position in
the office of the British Consul for
Fiji and Tonga Captain Jones, V. c.,
afterwards temporarily filling the po-
months in 1869 In 1859 Thakambau,
the King or first chief of the island, in
consequence of the heavy claim made
against him by the American Govern
ment on account of damage done to
the property of the American Consul
some years previously. offered to cede
the islands TO Great Britain on con-
dition that the debt was paid and he
was allowed to retain his sovereignty.
Acting on the advice of the special
commissioner, Colonel Symthe, the
offer was in 1862 rejected Owing to
the American civil war, there arose a
great demand for cotton. and this de-
mand the plantations of Fiji in part
supplied. The increase of the planta-
lions brought with it a great increase
OF the white population, so that the
European people in the years preced-
ing 1872 must have numbered quite
1000 souls In 1872 an attempt was
made by the white settlers TO set up
a constitutional Government and a
Cabinet was formed, the chief mem
bers being Messrs Woods and Burt.
This was termed the quasi Govern
ment" Upon some difficulty with the
Parliament which had been created by
King Tbakambau, Mr.. Thurston, by
the unanimous wish of the Europeans
and the natives entered the Ministry
TO which he brought a great amount
Of strength His position was that of
Chief Secretary and Minister for For
eign Relations During all this time
an agitation had been proceeding for
the annexation of the islands TO Great
Britain. and two years later, 1874.
Commodore Goodenough and Mr.. Lay
ard. the Consul, were appointed Com
missioners TO inquire into the matter.
On that occasion Mr. Thurston was
called to the position of chosen and
special adviser" to the native king and
chiefs TO confer with the Commission
ers Acting on the Commissioners
report Great Britain decided TO annex
the islands, and in September of the
same year. when Sir Hercules Robin
son arrived to formally hoist the Bril-
fish flag. he was again nominated as
special adviser to the chiefs for the
purpose of comforting with Sir Her
cules with regard to the cession. Pre-
viously he had been Chief Secretary
of the lad interim Government which
after the Ouel OF ceSSlO0 mao SucceeQ-
ed the quasi Government On the 10th
October. 1874, the British flag was
hoisted, and the annexation of the
Fills to Great Britain was made with
due ceremony A Government was
then formed under Mr. Layard, the
Administrator, Mr. Thurston taking
the office of Auditor General and sub
seeuently that of Colonial Secretary.
In September, 1875, when Sir Arthur
Gordon assumed the governorship of
Fiji. to which was, at 3 subsequent
period, added the Office of Consul
General and High Commissioner for
the Western Pacific, Mr. Thurston con-
tinued to hold the position of Colonial
Secretary, and afterwards was appoint
ed secretary TO the High Commission
err He administered the Government
OF Fiji during the last two months OF
1880. and in the same year, and also
in the following year, he was sent on
special duty connected with treaty ne