The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1900-12-18
A ROW ON
OVER FIJI.
Governor O'Brien Must
Now Explain.
news OF AUSTRALASIA
Coal Found in Central 0'sgo--
Rumors Of Gold in the
Rotorua District

WELLINGTON. Nov zs.-It is re-
ported on good authority that = .
George oBrien. Governor OF Fiji. Will
be called upon. in consequence of rep
presentations made to the Colonial Of
fee by Mr.. Seldom. to explain an al
legged slander recently uttered by him
at native gathering on Rewa river. i
on that occasion Sir George o'BrIen is
alleged to have declared that the advo-
Gates OF federation with New Zealand |
kHere actuated by a desire to rob the |
N fFtjSRps of their lands. which. ne as
serted. had been done In the case of
the Maoris
SYDNEY. Nov. 29.-The Telegraph.
In commenting on the speech of the
Governor OF Fiji. strongly condemns
the use Of such arguments and adds:
The plain inference Is that the natives
are 20 resist any change from the pres
ent form OF Government. Coming frCm
such a functionaW. these views are In
expllcable. No doubt when the affair
Is reported 10 the Imperial Govern
ment which Mr.. Seldom viii doubtless
see 20. steps will be Immediately taken
| TO inquire into II. That much the Gov
ernment should do. n only in self-de-
fense against this extraordinary attask
from the very last quarter where It
could be expected.
THE FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.
The withdrawal OF the :. $. MOana
from the san Francisco mail service.
which causes n break In the timetable.
led Mr. j. n. witheford. M.H.R.. TO en-
deavor 10 arrange for a boat to take
up the November trip. and In order 90
ascertain what success he had met
with our representative waited upon
rim on Saturday. Mr.. witheford ex-
plained that the difficulty had arisen
by the Government canceiling the con-
tract instead Of continuing 10 TO March.
which was the proper date Of termina-
tior. Re had been In communication
with the Government and also with NJ.
epreckeis In the matter. with little sue
cess as yet. He said N the Government
gave n subsidy TO this British vessel for
this one trip only. Of course the whole
dtfnculty would be solved. He had no
the slightest doubt that the whole col
onv would approve such n step consid
| II criur that the Noana " regarded az
coioniaiiy-owned boat. and the circum
stances are 80 exceptional. With re
gard 10 the delay In the completion o
the new American vessels he explaine
Messrs. spreckels and Mr.. Cramp. ~
builder. had informed him that the
~ had encountered three formidable dt
nculties as under: First. n famine
material lasting for three or fot
months at the very bevinning. TIL
delayed and almost prevented the star
-
abie 10 get material and had made
fair start-sav IN September last-t'
strike occurred which lasted ln vario
degrees of virulence until the end
February. when work was resumed
what uirht he termed normal sea
of progress. During March. April VI
and the greater part 81 June the wo
advanced rapidly. though of course
eject of tho DELAY caused hv the n mi
u material ~ the start and by the
terveniur strike mad already occurr
and could not be remedied. TIL
sNen came the terrific heat OF July q
Nurust. during which two months
raa not been possible to achieve In
General sense. much more than WI
should have been done az n normal r
ans. ~ progress IN one month SO that.
!, ,o the whole. would say that in all
'''"' history % our establishment we nj
0. never encountered. IN any one line
a. contracts. such n succession of dine
W. ties and hindrances all wholly bev'
our control ~ those which have be
us during the construction Of v
three ships"-Auckiand News.
v. AUSTRALIAN NOTES.
Last month 600 tons Of kauri gum
rived IN Auckland.
The new Parliament Houses In
Ill Australia are estimated 10 cost e1Oc
Hill when completed.
~" The Premier ~ New South w
ulu. savs ne expects 1000 members
s~f.,df,, so~ictfes VII march In pro