From the Fiji Times, December 5, 1900.

Dear Sir,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd November, containing an extract from the Fiji Times of the 31st October, being a report of the speech delivered by his Excellency the Governor, and High Commissioner of the Pacific, Sir George O'Brien, on the occasion of the opening of the Wainibokasi Hospital.

I presume the report must be taken as correct, seeing that this speech was re-printed in the current number of the Na Mata, a Government publication printed in Fiji, and a copy of which notification, signed, by order of the Governor, William Sutherland, Native Commissioner, has reached me.

I read the speech with surprise and amazement, and had not the after effects been so serious, I should have been more amused than annoyed. I do not think there is a precedent a the annals of our history for such a situation, or that it page 14 was possible to have conceived, or that it was reasonable to expect, that such an occurrence was within the bounds of possibility. Just imagine the Queen's representative in one colony taking to task the representative or past representatives of another colony and charging them with maladministrations, where responsible Government obtains, in respect to their dealings with the aboriginal race of that colony, or questioning the action of Parliament of a free colony in its desire to see responsible Government given to a people, who, in a proper and constitutional way, have asked for the same. The imputation and inference to be deducted, that underlying the movement to give Fiji Self-Government, or Confederation, or annexation, is to take the lands from the Fijians, is ludicrous in the extreme. More particularly is this so when a short review of what has taken place and brought about the present situation is given.

So far back as 1883 a movement took place in Fiji for Confederation with one of the Australasian colonies. The same year the Parliament of New Zealand passed a Confederation and Annexation Act which would have enabled this to be done, but which Act was disallowed by Her Majesty the Queen. Subsequently a conference was held in Sydney, the result being that in the following year Fiji petitioned the New Zealand Government for annexation to that colony. Seeing that the Act which would have enabled this to be done bad been disallowed by the Queen, on the advice of the Imperial Government, the New Zealand Parliament did not see its way to grant the petition. Between that time and the Federation movement in Australia little appears to have been done, but when the Federal movement took place in Australia, and owing to isolation and other unfavourable conditions obtaining in Fiji, the movement for a constitutional change sprang into existence. New Zealand Parliament was petitioned and they passed resolutions on the subject, and these were sent on to the Secretary of State, the first being in favor of giving Responsible Government to Fiji, leaving other questions to wait development thereafter. That this should be construed, or that an attempt should be made to create an inference that New Zealand wished to deprive the natives of their lands is childish in the extreme. To show how unfounded such an allegation really is I will just give you the conditions upon which the New Zealand Government intimated to the Imperial authorities in August last that it was prepared page 15 to embrace within its boundaries the Cook Group and other islands in the Pacific.

So much for the action of the New Zealand Parliament being construed as a desire to interfere with native ownership, or the natives in respect to their lands in Fiji.

As regards the allegation made to the effect that the Maori natives of New Zealand have been wronged in respect to their lands, and were without lands, anyone who has read what has been going on—and it is the duty of those holding high positions to make themselves acquainted with what is going on—knows that such is not the case, but that, on the contrary, it is found in the North Island of New Zealand there are some 30,000 natives who own, at the present time, some 5,000,000 aces of land. The law affecting native lands has for some years been that no alienation can take place except through the Government, nor until a court has certified that the natives desirous of alienating by lease or otherwise have sufficient land in excess of that to be sold or leased to maintain them. Only last session we passed the Maori Lands Administration Act, a copy of which I herewith forward you, and under which the native land-owners elected their own councils to administrate the lands for them; and the Government of the colony assisted by advancing moneys for the purpose of surveying roads and developing, the lands. Many years ago, and before Responsible Government was given to our colony, the natives of the South Island, after reserving what they deemed sufficient for the revenues, ceded the rest to the New Zealand Company and to the Government. Of late years it was found that sufficient reserves had not been retained, and some three years ago the Government, page 16 with the consent of Parliament, set apart for the landless natives in the South Island no less than 65,000 acres.

I do not think it is necessary for me to say anything further on this subject, for it is generally conceded throughout the civilized world that the treatment by the Parliaments and Governments of the aboriginal natives in New Zealand has been most humane, far reaching and satisfactory. We give them representation in Parliament, local self-government, administration of their own lands, special representation of Maori race in the Cabinet and Executive Council, and I don't hesitate to say that they are given greater freedom, and are better off in every respect than our own flesh and blood—the Britishers who are now located in the Fiji Islands.

However, the matter cannot rest where it is. As far as this colony is concerned, there is no reason given for the course that his Excellency, your Governor, has taken. I deeply regret the occurrence, for I fear it will have a detrimental effect upon the British policy in the Pacific Islands, There is no question upon which the Polynesian or Papuan race are so sensitive as that of their lands, and I scarcely think that this view of the question could have been taken into consideration when the High Commissioner of the Pacific decided to bring the matter before the natives on the occasion of the opening of the hospital at Wainibokasi.

Sir,—For your information, and, as showing that the natives of this colony have been well treated and appreciate the freedom they enjoy, the following communications speak for themselves:—

1.	King Mahuta, on his arrival at Wellington, at an interview with the Premier. Meeting between the Premier and King Mahuta, Monday 17th September, 1900. "Salutations to you, the Premier: salutations to your wife and to your family—my best wishes to you all. To-day is a new birth, a new light. It is faint, but will grow brighter. Salutations to the Governor and to the Ministers; my best wishes page 17 to all. I am here at your invitation. I have left the Waikato, my home, and my people, to be present with you to discuss matters for the good of both races. My father's words to me were 'Good are the Governments.' The Governments were good in his day, and they had his good wishes. As his sou, the Government of to-day has my best wishes. You, the Premier, have power through our mother, the Queen; that power should be used for good. It has come to me that you are prepared to offer me a scat in the Legislative Council, and, also a seat in the Ministry. This has caused anxiety, and have given it every consideration. I am glad to be able to state that I will accept both positions after we have talked over matters. It will be after this conversation between you and I, on matters of moment to both races, that the final decision as to the future will be arrived at. Sufficient. We both wish to promote the welfare of both races. Salutations to you. Long life to you; and may God give you every blessing and keep you from harm. Sufficient.
2.	Letter from King Mahuta, who has just been on a visit to Wellington to promote legislation in the interests of the Maoris on the west coast of the North Island. King Mahuta has sent a letter to the Premier, in which he says:—"Great is the joy and thankfulness of the heart at your forcefulness in carrying on and completing those measures that would bring rest to the breast of the Maori people who live in this island of ours. The heart and mind have had proof of your masterful forcefulness. For somewhere near unto forty years have the Maori people appealed for some measure of mana to be granted to them to administer the residue of their lands remaining to them. There have been many Governments and many Premiers prior to you, but it was not till your day, and the Government, that such a great measure as this has been seen. This great measure arranged between us will never be forgotten. It will remain as a great monument of your day and ours, so then, O! Premier, in token of our great admiration for the masterful way in which you have carried out matters to the present conclusion, and having had proof as we have of the rightful way in which you have arranged matters, we hereto sign our names.—King Mahuta, Tawhiao, and 78 others."
3.	A letter from about 100 chiefs and natives of the East Coast. "Gisborne, 14th September, 1900. The Premier Honorable Sir,—In Tuesday's issue of the Poverty Bay page 18 Herald we find that a Bill was introduced by the native Minister conducive to the higher civilization and contentment of us—the Maoris. We, the undersigned, cannot find words to convey to your far-seeing and truly wise Government our deepest gratitude for such a step—the salvation morally, physically, and spiritually of these dusky but loyal subjects unquestionably lies in bunging the provisions of the Bill into operation as early as possible. In conclusion, we wish to assure you that we shall heartily welcome the day when such Bill will come into force. Hoping you will convey our sincere thanks to your Government.—We remain," etc.
4.	Letters from chiefs and natives of the Northern Maori District, Kaipara, October 30, 1900. "The Hon. Mr. Seddon, Premier. Friend—Greetings to you and the members of your Government. We, the Maori people of this district, desire to express our great thanks to you and your Government for the great efforts that you have made to devise ways whereby Acts affecting Maori administration have been passed; a valued possession that our ancestors, who have all passed away, have endeavored to obtain. Well, then, all the tribes have a great admiration for you and your hon. members, and are full of thankfulness. Long may you live! May the great God blew you all!"

After perusal of these communications, all lovers of justice and fair play must come to the conclusion that the statements made by his Excellency Sir George O'Brien are unfounded, and based on incorrect information, and I feel sure, had enquiry been made from reliable sources, the remarks would never have been uttered.

From this Fiji Times, December 8, 1900.

Sir,—I noticed in your last issue the letter from the Premier of New Zealand to the chairman of the Federai League on the subject of the Governor's address to the natives assembled on the occasion of the opening of the Wainibokasi Hospital.

Seldom, if ever, has so powerful and well-earned a rebuke been administered to the representative of Her Majesty in any portion of those dominions on which the sun never sets.

Mr. Seddon says he read the speech "with surprise and amazement;" and well, indeed, ho may have done so. He is not the only one who read that speech with the same feelings. To every right-minded man the utterances of his Excellency the Governor were such as should never have been made. They are statements which are "unfounded, and based on incorrect information." Statements which, used by one holding the high positions of Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, are calculated to do the greatest harm in creating in the minds of the natives a feeling of antagonism to the whites. It behaves every member of the community, especially a community in which the native element preponderates, to use his utmost endeavours to foster a friendly feeling between the white and coloured races. The dangerous nature of an inflammatory speech, such as that referred to in Mr. Seddon's letter, cannot be over-estimated. For one at the head of affairs to tell those who are brought up to regard him as their highest chief and as the representative of Her Majesty, that a section of the white community, with the aid of a neighbouring British Colony, is endeavoring to deprive them of their lands is nothing short of an outrage, more especially when his Excellency's speech is coupled with his subsequent actions. (I allude to the promulgation of this speech far and wide throughout the Fiji Group in the columns of Na Mata.) It is, indeed, inconceivable that Her Majesty's Ministers should have entrusted the guidance of one of her most loyal colonies to the care of one who could so recklessly misrepresent facts, and engender feelings of mistrust amongst those whom he has been sent out to govern. That the statements made by his Excellency were "based on incorrect information, and can therefore, be easily controverted," has really nothing to do with the case. To disprove the facts by letters written by Mr. Seddon and others simply means that the white people who read the newspaper are merely fortified in the opinion that one and all must hold with regard to the deplorable speech at Wainibokasi. But the mischief has been done. In every village, by order of the Governor, a copy of the Government native paper has been read.

The natives have had it instilled into their minds that the white man is to be dreaded, and more especially if he happens to be a New Zealander. The problem that has now to be considered is, how is that pernicious impression—that most fatal page 20 of all impressions—the engendering of racial hatred, to be eradicated from the native mind?

Eradicated it must be if the whiteman is to continue on the same friendly relations with the Fijian. The evil consequences of this speech are so far reaching, and the harm that may, nay will be done, is so incalculable if the incorrect assertions of his Excellency are allowed to remain officially uncontradicted before the natives, that some decisive measure must be taken to let them know the truth.

His Excellency stated in his speech, paragraph 2: "You have the land, my friends, and that is what they (the New Zealand party) want to get, and hope that they will get if you are foolish enough to listen to them."

Of little avail is the absolute answer to so misleading an assertion, contained in the letter and telegram received from Mr. Seddon, for their contents can never be made known. There is no means of communicating them to the Fijians. There will be no order issued, signed by the "Governor. Wm. Sutherland, Native Commissioner," issued to the head of each village or his nominee, directing him to assemble the villagers in order that the refutations to his Excellency's speech be read to them. It is well known that no private individual or band of private individuals would be allowed to address the natives in their various villages, and so, unless some measures are devised to acquaint the Fijians with the facts of the case, they will certainly remain in ignorance of them. Those who have taken up the cause of Federation and Representation will, doubtless, find the means, and it is only to be hoped, in the interests of the colony, that they will not allow this serious attack on the white portion of the community to remain unanswered. As far as New Zealand is concerned, Mr. Seddon has said, "However, the matter cannot rest where it is. As far as this colony is concerned, there has been no reason given for the course his Excellency, your Governor, has taken," and it may be taken for granted that that powerful statesman will not brook the wanton insult which has been gratuitously offered to the colony of which he forms so distinguished a head.—I am, etc.,