The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-02-26

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 Bri-
| tlsh 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 offer of cession had succeed
ed the quasi Government. On the 10th
October, 1874, the British flag was
hoisted, and the annexation of the
FijiS 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
sequently that of Colonial Secretary.
In September, 1875, when Sir Arthur
Gordon assumed the governorship of
Fiji, to which was, at a 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
er. 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
gotiations to the Friendly Islands. In
the beginning of 1880 Sir George Dex
Voex succeeded Sir Arthur Gordon as
Governor of Fiji, and Mr.. Thurston
enjoyed, as he had done that of his
predecessor, his confidence as well as
that of Sir Charles Mitchell, who sue
In1 Il
In 1882 he was Deputy Governor of
Fiji during the absence of the Cover
nor on duty as High Commissioner
for the Western Pacific, and admins
tered the Government from November,
1888, to July, 1884. He was appointed
assistant High Commissioner for the
Western Pacific in November 1883,
and acted as Consul-General from
April to June, 1884. was appointed
British Commissioner on the Anglo
German Commission for the discussion
Of the interests of German and British
subjects respectively in the South
Seas, and for the more precise defini-
ton of British and German territorial
interests in those regions. He was
made Lieutepant-Governor in 1886.
He held that position till next year,
when he was appointed Governor of
Western Pacific which office he held
ill his death.
AS High Commissioner for the
Western Pacific Sir John Thurston
visited Tonga in man-o-war and.
acting under Instructions deported the
Rev. Shirley w. Baker, the Premier
Of the kingdom under the King
George. Among his most notable later
acts was the quelling of a native re-
Dellion in June, 1894, on the island OF
Vanua Levu. To ensure success he
made forced march, took the insur-
cents by surprise, entirely routed
hem, and captured the chiefs. But
he strain on his system had been too
great Soon after his return to the
apital he became i'll, and never quite
ecovered. In 1895, he went to Eng
and to consult specialists, but his
respects did not improve, and in De-
ember of that year he returned to
ydney, and later on proceeded TO Fiji
here he remained till December of
asst year, when his nephew, DR.. Muir
ay, acting in consultation with DIR.
orney, Chief Government Medical
ficer of Fiji, decided that it would
e better to remove him away from
ne moist atmosphere of the islands
} Melbourne. In January Sir John,
L company with MS wife, eldest
aughter, and youngest son, left by
le Miowera for Melbourne via Sgd
ey, and was on his way between
ydney and Melbourne when death
yertook him. In regard to the work
the missionaries in the South Sea,
lr John ThurstOn has always borne
q excellent reputation. Although a
ember of the Church of England, he
orked in unison with the Wesleyan
issions in the islands and this was
1 the more noticeable, inasmuch as
le other Governors, with the except
n of Sir Charles Mitchell, had been
ngularly jealous of the influence of
le missions. Although the Roman
atholic mission did not altogether