430 A MISSION TO VITI. 



led me regarding the offer to Her Majesty of the sovereignty of 

 the Fiji Islands, I would beg leave to add a few suggestions to- 

 wards the improvement of our relations with them. The great 

 hindrance to the progress of civilization and Christianity among 

 the inhabitants of the Pacific Islands, is the conduct and example 

 of the whites residing or roving among them. Of the general 

 character of these men in Fiji I have already spoken. During 

 the few months I have been in the group, a case of arson, one 

 of theft, one of burglary, and one of aggravated assault, have oc- 

 curred among them. The great difficulty in these cases is the 

 want of legal authority to arrest suspected persons, and of a 

 proper and safe place in which to keep them. The only British 

 functionary is the Consul, and he is powerless in these respects. 

 To remedy these evils, 1 would suggest that the Consul have 

 conferred on him some of the powers of a magistrate ; that two 

 constables (married men, selected either from the police or the 

 army) be sent out from England ; and that a stone lock-up house 

 be erected for the safe custody of offenders, until there is an 

 opportunity of sending them to the colonies for trial, or they are 

 otherwise disposed of. The place of residence of the Consul is a 

 matter of considerable importance. The principal white settle- 

 ment in Fiji at present is at Levuka, on the island of Ovalau. 

 It owed its selection to political causes in disturbed times. Its 

 harbour may be considered good, but the hills rise abruptly from 

 the beach and shut it in, and it is dependent on ether places 

 for much of its supplies. The present British Consul has an 

 office at Levuka, but he resides at a further part of the island of 

 Ovalau. 



The locality best adapted in Fiji for a white settlement is the 

 country round the harbour of Suva in Viti Levu, the largest of 

 the islands. It is rich, level, and well-watered. The harbour is, 

 perhaps, the best in the group j it is easy of access, can be en- 

 tered and quitted with all the prevailing winds, and has com- 

 munication within the reef with a great extent of coast. If the 

 British Consulate were permanently established in this locality, 

 a white settlement would spring up near it, which, if the Consul 

 were armed with the powers suggested above, would not be dis- 

 graced by the scenes of drunkenness and rioting so prevalent at 



