We hear a good deal in the papers about the
government and parliament and finance of Fiji, which last, we need not say, is
curious and confused. How long Fiji will be allowed to play at self-government we hardly know, but not long, if stories such as the following, for which we believe we can vouch, continue to be told :—Oneof our Australian settlers having visited Fiji on business, was requested by two friends to go up to their country residence to dine on a given day. He was detained by business, but went the next day, when he found that both his would-be hosts had been killed and eaten the day before by the natives. Had not accident detained him on the day for which the invitation was given, instead of dining he would have been dined upon. Representative institutions can hardly be very suitable to cannibals. Cannibalistic minorities might, perhaps, even• demand minority members, appealing to Mr. Hare's system.
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