Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/488

 366 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — FIJI

Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. — Sir Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott, K.C.M.G. Salary 3,000?. (and 1,000?. from Imperial funds.)

Colonial Secretary.— YLon. Eyre Hutsoi), C.M.G.

The Governor is High Commissioner and Consul-General for the Western

PSiClfic

There is a constabulary consisting of natives and Indians, and a * Rifle Association' under the supervision of Government.

For the purposes of native government the colony is divided into 17 provinces, in 10 of which a superior native chief exercises, under the title of Roko Tui, a form of rule which recognises to a large degree the principles of native administration by which the people formerly governed themselves. In seven of the provinces there are European commissioners. About 186 native chiefs of inferior degree are employed in subordinate administrative capacities. There are also 31 native stipendiary magistrates associated with 17 European magistrates in the administration of justice. A European commissioner, Avho is also Government medical officer, resides in Rotumah.

Area and Population.

Fiji comprises a group of over 200 islands (about 80 inhabited) lying between 15° and 20' south latitudes and 177° east and 178° west longitude. The largest is Viti Levu, area 4,250 square miles ; next is Vanua Levu, area 2,600 square miles. The island of Rotumah, between 12° and 15° of south latitude, and 175° and 177 east longitude, was added to the colony in 1880. Total area, including Rotumah, 7,435 square miles.

At the census of April 2, 1911, the population was 139,541 ; the Europeans, 3,707 (2,403 males, 1,304 females) ; Fijians, 87,096 (46,110 males, 40,986 females); Rotumans, 2,176 (1,043 males, 1,133 females); Indians, 40,286 (26 073 males, 14,213 females); Polynesians, 2,758 (2,429 males, 329 females) ; Chinese, 305 (276 males, 29 females) ; others, 3,213 (1,674 males, 1,539 females). On December 31, 1911 the estimated population was 142,761.

Among Europeans in 191 1 the births were 90 and deaths 46 ; among Fijians, births 3,298, deaths 3,351 ; among Indians, births 1,271, deaths 791.

Suva, the capital, is on the south coast of Viti Levu ; European popula- tion (census of April 2, 1911), 1,376.

Religion and Instruction.

Attending at Wesleyan native churches in 1911, 84,306 ; Roman Catholic Mission, 10, 592. The Wesleyan Mission comprises 14 European missionaries, 6 European 'mission sisters, 100 native ministers, 132 catechists, 831 teachers, and 3 655 local preachers, 6,449 class leaders, with 730 churches, and 334 other preaching places. The Roman Catholic Mission has 32 European ministers and 245 native teachers, 47 European sisters, 80 churches and chapels, 3 native training institutions. ^ ^^ ^ -a

Two public schools, in Suva and Levuka, receive /46Z. a year State aid ; 340 scholars in 1911. Another State-supported school is solely for natives ; 65 scholars in 1911. During 1911 the Wesleyan Mission had 1,002 schools with 16 939 scholars ; the Roman Catholic had 157 schools with 2,293 scholars.' The Roman Catholic Mission maintain 3 schools for Europeans, with 244 children in 1911.