FIJI

435 FIJI of European settlements, maize, tobacco, and the sugar-cane are cultivated; timber trees, including the chestnut, are plentiful; sandal-wood is now scarce. The birds are wild ducks, pigeons, the domestic fowl, parrots, and other t) pical species. Except the stock introduced there are hardly any animals. Fish are plentiful. The natives enclose and cultivate their lands, the women performing most of the manual Jabour. The climate on the whole is healthy and agreeable for Europe ans. The Fijians are a dark-coloured, frizzly-haired, bearded race of Me lanes i an extraction, although intermixed with the Polynesians of Tonga and Samoa. They are cleanly in their habits, and are generally regarded as superior to the Polynesians in intelligence. Their early character, however, was bad. Cannibalism was reduced to a system, and wives, children and friends were often sacrificed to the fondne fer human flesh. Cannibalism, however, is now abolished. This result has been due to the Christian mi ions, mostly Wesley an, which have been very succe ful, most of the native population having become profe ed Christians. From 1866 onwards the influx of European settlers from New Zealand and the Australian colonies gradually brought the trade of Fiji into importance, and repeated applications were made to the British Government both by the settlers and the king, Thakombau, to annex the islands. At length in 1874 this was done, and the Fiji Islands were made a Crown colony, under a Governor, a isted by an executive council consisting of the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney General, and members nominated by the Governor. The Legislative Council, which is presided over by the Governor, consists of twelve nominated members, seven elected members, and two native members. Native chiefs take part in the administration, the old customary law being still largely adhered to. Since the annexation the prosperity of the colony has been remarkable. The revenue in 1931 was £565,393: the imports and exports in 1930 were £904,311 and £997,106 respectively. The chief article of export is sugar; the next is copra, the dried kernels of the coco-nut. The other important exports are cotton, mola es, and coffee. The demand for labour led to the introduction of some 17,000 coolies from India. In 1931 the population was 185,573, of whom 5,058 were Huropeans. The capital is Suva, on the south coast of Viti Levu. The Island of Rotuma, to the north, was 432 GRAPHY: Calvert and Williams, Fijzt and the Fijians; B. Thomson, T Fijians; Water house, Fiji: its King and People.