The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-04
NEWS FROM
COLONIES.
Premier Seldom on the
Fiji Troubles.
BIG FIRE N AUCKLAND
Plans for Colonization Of Ali the
Islands in the Southern
Pacific.

SYDNEY, Jan. f2.-Premier Seldom, 6
being interviewed in reference to Fiji, 3
said that New zealanders, as well as ):
Australians, had suffered an injustice s
through Samoa being virtually handed &
over to Germany, but the Imperial au- 8
thorities had made compensation for this s
in some degree by the extension of a
British protectorate over the South Sea {
Islands The people of New Zealand, s
however, did not think Tat this went
far enough His Government had fixed
as part of their policy the idea that
all islands of the Southern Pacific should
become colonialised. His views were by ;
mo means aggressive. He cared not one
! lot for the trade of Fiji, but he did
want to see the Fijian and Tonga group
made colonial. He desired that sell
government be given to Fiji in the terms
of the convention of 1885, but he had
never sought its annexation by New
Zealand In his opinion, Governor
j O'Brien's policy had created dis
fturbance in the minds of the natives and
set back the matter of self-government
of the islands for years, because the
natives were given to understand that
the object of the white man was to take
their lands from them. France, Ger
MANY and America had a naval or
military base in the Pacific, and it was
time that the British people, as repre-
scented in the colonies, looked atter
themselves and saw that no such bases
we're established to their detriment.
The Rev George Brown, secretary Oh i
the Wesleyan missions. when interview
ed in reference to the cable received ,
Inv Mr. Seldom to the effect that the
Governor of Fiji had threatened TO ue
mort a leading missionary, SAID that ne
had received no direct information IN
regard to the matter, but was quite GER
tain that if there We're any nkeiihooo
lof such an extreme course oelhg taheh
he would have received a capie from
the chairman of the Fiji district MI
Brown has seen Mr.. Seldom on the SUI
ject.
The Telegraph says that the aleseo
threat to deport Fiji missionary for
y advocating federation with New Iealano
calls imperatively for investigation Inc
question involved is far more important
than merely one of whether the mission
arv had exceeded his privileges. de-
termined attack had been made by
reputable person on the crown coiohs
= system and if that system was Deihs
q northumberland in Fiji, then no time
Q sbould he lost in putting it on basis
that was more humane and more coii-
= sistent in it's intention. Another Reason
= for the investigation of the politlcai CON
: dition of those islands generally Is tnat
u no
made "a speech attacking the coioia :.
. governing system and thus he hlmseii
would seem to have exceeded ms Iulic,
. tions The missionary charges represent
a further indication that the soVernihs
state of the ISLANDS is not
should be.
Mr. Seldom on being interviewed II
q regard to the Fiji trouble, said that II
sydney there was great apathy II, re
gard to the matter The people did no
. understand how closely the general ques
ton Law to the Commonwealth OF Aus
tralia He could scarcely believe tina
. the Governor of Fiji could go TO IN
. extreme course indicated, because IN
act under which he is working Is opse
!late and was passed at time Wne
Q the conditions in FIJI We're aieo .' -
different from now. To apply 1t now
Q n man like Mr.. Slade was absoiutei
IMPROPER He intended to send II
. imonstrance to the Colonial Once
DR.. Brown, general secretary oil u
Wesleyan Board OF MISSIONS, mas
ceived confirmation of the capie
sent relative to the threatened ae , -
tion of a missionary from Fill Inc az
vices come from the chairman OF u
. Fiji Wesleyan district, and include copl
of the letters addressed to MN ny y
colonial Secretary of Fiji. These co
tain complaints against one OF the IN
sionaries and request his removal ITO
the district The accusation is that
. is actively engaged in a political car
paign among the natives, with lhe
tensible object of persuadlng mem
entertain the proposals of federau
with New Zealand. The matter Will
Q iceiye the earliest attention of the Nj
SION Board The missionary IN que
ton, DR.. Brown says, emphaucany
: MES the truth of the statements ma
against him on the authority OF
tive witness. He asks that fuI
Iquiry be made.
ee9 AUCKLAND, Jan. 1s.-one of the III
.-s-a destructive fires ever witnessed III
city of Auckland occurred on January
when three large buildings on 90
merce street and Custom street we
totally destroyed and their Vafua
contents burned to ashes, while cons
cradle damage was done in the olh@I
buildings There may in the history
the city have been some more lhposi
confla grations but in respect to the
struction of property, and the value
the contents swallowed up by Tue "
,suming flames, there is little uouot
fire of January ID must rank as anie
the most disastrous that has ever
tied Auckland. The properties aIlee
were those of Messrs. Bond & Ben ~
merce street; the large bonded STORES
Messr,s L. D. Nathan & Co., corner
Custom street and Commerce street,
the adjoining property of Messrs. "
owen & Co, Custom street. othei p, -
critics. including Messrs. T. Machs
Co.'S. on Commerce street, and Me-
W. S. Laurie & Co.'S, Custom 81
suffered a good deal of damage. pu. :.
fire was practically confined to the -
. buildings first mentioned, winch
md about out. IS &C., about OF 1851
custom street, Messrs. L. D. Natn aa,
Co.'S store being by far the iars
the three.
IS her ~, a.
4 to. British Museum Nc" 'o. tell
r pro- aeologist, was capital story 'et'