Thomas Warburton

'Daily Southern Cross', Vol. XXVII, Issue 4449, 28 November 1871 

[National Library of New Zealand]

Master: William Henry Weiss

Origin: Port of Levuka, Fiji Islands
Departed: 18 June 1871

Destination: Sydney, Australia
Arrived: 17 July 1871

238 tons

Passenger list

Surname	Other names	Notes
Burt	Master	Cabin
Little	Miss	Cabin
Joslie	Mr	Cabin
Warburton	Mr	Cabin
Morell	Mr	Cabin
Humphrey	Mr	Cabin
Page	James	Steerage
Pidgeon	Walter	Steerage
Southerland	William	Steerage
Burt	Mrs	Died at sea 19 June

Sources:

State Records Authority of New South Wales: Shipping Master’s Office; CGS 13278, Passengers Arriving 1855 – 1922; X123-124, SR Reel 424, 1871. Transcribed by Tamea Willcocks, May, 2001. http://mariners.records.nsw.gov.au/1871/07/049pri.htm

Empire. (1871, July 18), p. 2. Retrieved July 30, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60874240

THE CAPTURE OF ROSENWAX AT

FIJI.

I [From the Fiji Gazette, 25th Octobor.]

On Wednesday, the 18th instant, the steam-

ship Balclutha arrived in charge of Captain

Frank Mooro. On board was Mr. Otto Berliner,

who carno in pursuit of Elias Rosenwax, the

absconder. Mr. Berliner at onco wont to Go-

vernment House, and a Cabinet meeting took

place. Mr. Berliner acted as a private citizen,

and brought to this colony simply copies of war-

rants for felony, issued against the defaulter,

also declarations of embozzlotnont inado by

Messrs. M'Arthur, Sherrard, and Copeland, and

other merchants of Melbourne ; and ho invited

the Ministry by Order in Council to issuo the

King's warrant for tho arrest of Rosonwax as a

felon. Mr. Berliner having argued the legality

of the act, the Government agreed to act with

him, and a warrant was issued and placed in

the hands of Sorgoant Mooro and the water

polico. Mr. Borlincr thon loft in an open

boat, and wont to sea for the pnrposo of

intercepting, if possible, the Eliza Firth, in

which ship the defaulter had decamped by way

of Suva. Mr. Berliner first proceeded to Bau,

to pay his respects to the King, with a good

boat's crow of six natives, supplied by Govern-

ment, and they soon found their way, reaching

Bau at 11 p.m., fifty miles distant. Heavy rain

and lightning were experienced throughout the

voyage. The King, through his interpreter, at

once acceded to Mr. Berliner's request, and

after the usual ceremonies of feasting in the

King's palace, Mr. Berliner accompanied by a

powerful chiof, loft Bau at C a.m. on Thursday,

19th October, and arrivod at Suva (ninety miles)

at 8 p.m. Hero Mr. Borlinerwas told that tho

Eliza Firth had loft five hours provious ; of

coarse Rosenwax was on borad, and although

he had left Melbourne as Bungare, now

his name appoars in the papers as Roson-

wax. Moore, alias Fletcher, was also a pas-

senger. Mr. Berliner, with his native crow,

left again at 9 p.m. for Suva, in spite of a

dreadful gale and heavy rain, in his opon

boat to Reawa, arriving thero at 4 a ni.

on" tho 20th, leaving again at 0 n.m., and

pursuing his voyage, xvith heavy sea and

head winds till anchoring in Levuka. Tho

sufferings experienced by Mr. Borlinor and crow

woro of no ordinary character. When Mr, Ber-

liner left for Suva, according to his direction,

Sergeant Moore, late of the Victoria water

polico and brothor to Mr. Mooro, chiof elork of

the Victoria polico, was in charge of the Govern-

ment boat, cruising in tho bay on the look out

for the Elizabeth Firth. Rosenwax was brought

beforo the police court at Levuka on tlio zist

October, when the following evidence was given,

which gives an account of his capturo :

John Mooro, polico constablo, said : I pro

duco a warrant, by virtue of which I arrested

prisoner at 4 o'clock p. m. yesterday for larceny

as a bailoo. I arrostod prisoner on board the

Eliza Firth. Ho said, "Who aro you? Go

away, or I will knock yon down." T put my

hand on his shoulder and cautioned him not to

resist. The passengers gathered round and

threatened to throw mo overboard. The captain

told me his dock was British soil, and he would

shoot mo or any other man who attomptcd to

arrest a prisoner on his vessel. Tho prisoner

was then rescued by physical force. I did not

lose sight of him till Mr. Brougham, police

magistrate, carno on board.

Patrick Brougham stated : I am police magis-

trate, and in chnrgo of tho police in Lovnka. I

saw a brigantina coming in yesterday afternoon

that 1 thought was being chased by tho Govern-

ment boat Maria Douglas, on board of which

vessel Constable Mooro had a warrant to arrest

one Elias Rosenwax. Boing afraid ho might

land before tho warrant was oxocuted, I pro-

cured a boat, and started, in company with Mr.

M'Cullum, an officer in tho civil service. Wo

boardod tlio Eliza Firth in tho bay. I saw

Constablo Moore on tho deck, ne told nie

prisoner was there. I inquired for tho captain,

I introduced myself as police magistrate of

Levuka, and told him I had como on board to

look after some of tho passengers. I turned

round, put my hand on Rosenwax's shoulder,

and said, "I arrest you." Ho said,

" AVhat for? That is not my name." I

replied, " I arrest you for felony committed in

Melbourne ; for stealing somo gold watchos and

other property." He said, "Havo you a war-

rant ?" I called upon Constablo Mooro to give

mo tho warrant. I read tho warrant to him. A

third person, calling himself Fletcher or Fisher,

askod if tho warrant was endorsed. I roplied it

was unnecessary. The captain then said no ona

should take a passenger from his vessel, as his

agrconimit waj^to^landtlmm^ I signified to bim

that'the mau would bo arrostcd as soon ns ho

landed. Somo time botvvoon the hours of 5 and

0 o'clock tho prisoner went over the side of the

x'osscl, stopped into tho pilot boat, and was

arrested by Captain Martin, of the special con-

stabulary of Levuka. I stopped into the samo

boat, and went on board tho steamer Balclutha.

Captain Mooro carno on board. I searched tho

prisoner. Mr. AVarburton carno on board tho

Eliza Firth. Ho fully identified tho prisoner.

Mr. Berliner prosecuted, and mado his state-

ment as to boing empowered by tho authorities

of Victoria to arrest the defendant.

Sydney Charles Burt said : I am Ciiiof

Secretary of Fiji. Thovo was an Order in

Council issuod and adoptod, making tho penal

codo of Hiixvaii tho law of this kingdom, in so

far as it related to offences against the property

and porsons of his Majesty's and foreign sub-

jects. I know that the King as King ordered

tho establishment of this court as a police court.

Tho magistrate boro nccoptod aud acknow-

ledged the jurisdiction of this court as a court

established by oxorciso of the King's hereditary

prerogative.

James AVators, captain of tho Eliza Firth,

detailed tho mannor in xvhich the psisoncr

carno on board his ship. Ho said : I procoeded

from Suva to Lovuka, arriving hore on Friday,

the 20th Octobor. On arrival off tho roof a

pilot carno on board, and Constable Mooro in his

company. I askod if ho was a pilot. Ho said

yes. He asked to speak to mo, and on my invi-

tation both pilot and Constablo Mooro carno

down into the cabin. Mooro askod mo if I had

a passenger on board named Rosonwax. I said,

" No, I don't think I have a passenger of that

nama on my list, but I will soon soo," and I thon

handodthopassongorlistintotheeonstablo'shand.

I did not mention anything to tho constablo.

Monro did not say who ho was. Ho said Rosen-

wax had committed some depredations to tho

amount of £30,000. Mooro did not producá a

warrant, and did not toll mo ho had ono. Tlio

pilot wont on dock and took chavgo of tho ship.

About ton minutos aftorwnrds Mooro said, " Tho

man is on board." About an hour after a boat

passed ns, and directly afterwards Mooro col-

lared tho prisoner. I saw tho scnfllo, and

heard prisoner say, "You havo got nothing

to do xvith mo ; 1 am a freo man." I ran down

oft' tho poop, and put my hand on Moore's

shoulder, and said, " How daro you moddlo

with this man ? I am magistrate hore. _ Show

mo your authority." 17o said, " I havo it." T

said, "Prodtico it, then." Ho said ho would

not produce it. I thon told bim to koop his

hands off tho ninn Rosonwax. Ho did not

scorn inclined to dosist, and I thon threatened

to shoot him, upon which ho desistod, both

prisonor and constablo remaining on board

quietly. I afterwards sovoral timos advised

prisoner to go on shoro, and told him ho

could not stop on board. Ho afterwards gave mo

a gold watch and chain and ti rovolvor. The con

Btnblo was not prosont. Prisonor was at liborty

to go whoro ho liked. I told prisoner I would

tako him ashoro. Ho eonsottted to go, and just

os ho loft tho ship's sido ho stopped into

another boat alongside and was soizod. Ho

told mo ho droppod somo sovereigns overboard

bocauso ho was norvous.

Thomas Warburton said : I was chartoror

of tho Eliza Firth,'from Molhourno to Suva

and Lovnka. Sho startod on Saturday, tho

23rd Soptombor last. I know tho prisonor. n¡s

ñamo is Rosenwax, I know him in Molbcn-nr,

Prisonor was on tho vessel with mo up to Suva.

I loft at Suva. I saw him again at Lovnka tho

day tho vossol arrived. On hist Friday, whon I

wont on board, prisonor carno to mo and said,

"You know vory woll my namo is not Rosonwax ;

my namo is Groen." I told him if his namo was

Green ho had altorod it vory quickly, and if ho

did not wish pooplo to know his namo was

Rosenwax, ho had botter koop nway from mo.

I told him I did not want to bo mixed up in the

affair. I told him I had sox'oral lotters from

two friends of mino ho had lot in to a consider-

able amount. Ono was £500, and tho other

noorly £1,000. °Thoy did not montion artiolos.

This concluded tho examination, and tho pri-

sonor Rosonwax was romandod to Molbonrno.

TTUAL OF PINKANS FOR ATTEMPTING TO

RESCUE ROSENWAX.

[From tho Fiji Tinten, 2öth October,]

Aaron Piukans, charged with tho abovo offonco,

pleaded not guilty.

J. C. M'Cullum sworn : Captain Martin handed

»rinoiior ovor to mo on board tho Balclutha. 1

said, "I leavo you in charge till I go nshoro and

Bond rolief." About half-past 7 o"olook Scotty

pullod off to tho ship with (our passongors

Messrs. Ireland, E. S Smith, R. Graham, avd

Pinkans, the prisonor. Thoy came on board

and wont aft to spoak to "the oaptain. Captait»

Mooro then carno and asked me to leave the ship.

I declined to do so. I did not tell him who I

was, or what was my business. The captain

turned to thom and said, " You hear what ha

says, and I am not in a position to force him."

Ireland or Smith asked me if I would allow

Rosenwax to go nshoro, and I said, " No, not if

I can prevent it. *' They then each askod me

again, and I gave the samo reply. Scotty was

standing at the head of tho gangway, and called

out, '? Why the h- don't you get into the

boat ?" and then told Rosenwax to go down. I

attempted to stop him at the top of the gangway,

prisonor shouting " Got into tho boat in spito of

him," and seizing mo by tho nock from behind.

Scotty slut/Hod butwoeu mo and Rosonwax, and

I lost my hold of him. Shook myself free of

prisonor and tried to gut Rosonwax again, when

prisonor caught me by the coat. I turned and

threw him oft', and went after Rosonwax, whom

I overtook at tho foot of the gangway, and we

both foil into the boat. I hoard prisoner's voice,

" There's a pistol in the boat, use it. " 1 asked

Scotty to shove off, but ho wouldn't, and or-

dered me out of tho boat. Some one then

entered the boat. I was holding Rosenwax

down. Somo one said, " Leave go, or I'll

shoot yon," when a shot was fired. I felt a

stroke on my hip, and Rosonwax quivered and

callod out, " Oh, my God !" Thinking he wast

shot, I lot go, and turned round, and saw

prisoner with a revolver in his hand, which ha

presented at my head. Threw it up with ona

hand, und with the other grasped him by the

throat, and threw him on to the sido of the

boat. Heard Captain Moore call out, " For

God's sake come out of tho boat, you've dona

enough, and more than enough." I then stepped

on the gangway, and the boat was pushed off.

Captain Mooro called out to Scotty to hand

Rosonwax ovor to the captain or mato of the

Eliza Firth, which he promised to do. I believe

I was hurt by a bullet.

Mr. Berliuor was callod for the defonco, and

stated : I have known prisonor in Molbonrno.

I- bolievo liim to bo nn bonost .man. He wna

a x>assongor by the Balclutha to Fiji. He caine

lo aid Ro3onw.tx in escaping. Ho told tlio chief

officers and those on board that he carno to arrest

mo.

Mr. Brougham sentenced tho prisoner to pay

a fine of 80 dois., and be imprisonod for two

hours. - t

ARRIVAL OF ROSENWAX IN MELBOURNE.

On the arrival of the City of Melbourne at the

Hoads yesterday, sho was boarded by Constable

Bresnahan, who had been despatched from Gee*

long to wait the advent of tho prisonor.

Ebarama, the native constable xvho had Rosen-

wax in ohargo, and who seemed folly to realise

the importance of his mission, exhibited to the

constable his warrant, written in Fijian andfin

English, and upon boing satisfied as to the're-

sponsibility of the man demanding his prisonor,

ho delivered him up upon receiving a formal

receipt. There was a largo number of porsons

congregated on tho pier, and amongst others

the wife of Rosonwax, aud she seemed to

feel keenly the position of her husband. On

tho voyage np tho prisonor wrote a letter to Mr.

Borlinor, asking his creditors, "oneand all,",to

have morey on bim as he had acted under the

pressure of adverso circumstances. On the

arrival of the steamer at Sandridge pier Rosen-

wax was placed in a cab and driven to the

Swanstuii-stroet wivlchlioitso, whore ho was

I formally chargod with larceny as a bailee, and

with having obtained goods on false representa-

tions. Tho warrant issued by tho Fijian Govern-

ment, and under which the prisoner was carried

to Melbourne, was a vory singular odo. It

bogan in tho orthodox fashion :-Fiji to wit ..

Warrant remanding ti prisonor." It was ad

drussod-"To Otto Berlinor, au inspector.of*

polico of Levuka, in tho kingdom of Fiji, and

to all other constables in said force." 'The

body of it ran in tho usual manner ;W That

whoroas Elias Rosenwax has been charged

before Patrick Brougham, Esquire, olio ,bf

his Majesty's justices of the peace' in and

for tho said kingdom, with the larceny of two

gold watches and chains, tho property of ono

Leopold Saunders, of Molbonrno, those aro

therefore to command you, the said inspeotor,

in his Majesty's name, forthwith to convoy tho

said Elias Rosonwax to tho gaol at Molbonrno."

It continues vvitli a command to thu governor of

Molbonrno gaol, " then and there to keep him to)

answer further to the ohargo," and it concludes

vvitli tho signatuie of the magistrate, and. the

regal seal, which is about the diameter of a

«lulling, containing round tho margin tho

words, ""Government of Fijl;""an{l in tho centro-"

the monogram 0 R., evidently moaning Cakô

bau Rex. The defalcations of tho prisonor aro

sttitod to be £4,000, and his ohase and capture

luvo already cost a sum of over £1,500. Mr,

Berliner did not long continuo an inspeotor of

polico for the Fijian Government, inasmuch as

ho sent his resignation on shore so soon as the

Balclutha had started with the prisonor and his

nativo custodian. A meeting of merchants was

hold in Sydney on tho arrival of the Balolutlia,

and a resolution passod to prosont Mr. Berliner

vvitli a testimonial for his conduct in this matter.

It is said that King Cakobau was vory anxious

and eagor in regard to the issuing of tho warrant,

stating that ho would havo no moro bad whi^e,

moit in his kingdom, for thoro woro too VrWy

already. ^^^^_^___^__^__

Australian corporate interest had already turned towards the South Seas. In 1861 Adelaide businessmen had formed the Fijian Company Limited and although the company folded two years later, by 1866 the islands were receiving an increasingly favourable press.

Coconut oil had been the most important export in the first half of the decade but with the decline, then halt, in cotton production during the American Civil War of 1861-65, large areas of land were acquired for cotton plantations, either by foreign individuals or consortia. One Victorian consortium intending to take advantage of the South Seas cotton boom was the Fijian Planting and Trading Company, incorporated in the gold-mining town of Ballarat; the Polynesia Company of Melbourne was another.

In early December 1868 the Government Gazette for the Colony of Victoria noted the formation of the Polynesia Company Limited with a registered office at a most respectable address. When a General Manager and Inspector was appointed, the company was considered to be 'up and running'; in actual fact it never did more than limp. Over the next few years it was to occupy a succession of offices in Melbourne, moving headquarters no fewer than six times between 1868 and 1875, and its directors appeared to be equally unsure as to which direction to take.

Things had started purposefully enough. King Cakobau promised 200,000 Fijian acres (which unbeknown to the Polynesia Company's representatives in Fiji were not wholly his to give) and in return the company agreed to settle the indemnity levied by the US government. By September 1868 an advance payment of $US9575, or its equivalent, had been paid into the Melbourne branch of the Bank of New South Wales, and his Fijian Majesty's problems were over.

In early 1871 other problems were just beginning. The initial twenty-eight investors who had purchased land were still waiting for their share of 'the several islands, parts of islands, and other territory in Fiji' along with 'the soil and beds of all seas, rivers, creeks, and inlets thereto appertaining'. In the weeks and months following the meeting held at Scott's Hotel, Collins Street, on 7 February 1871, their initial eagerness as purchasers gave way to concern, and James C. Foden, the 'Secretary to the Trustees for the Owners of certain Lands purchased from "The Polynesia Company Limited" found himself bombarded with letters of anxious inquiry.

Few correspondents were as blunt as Corker Wright Minchin of Beaufort, although he did make a qualified apology later for his 'rather warm remarks'. Even fewer writers threatened to withdraw from the venture, as did Thomas Warburton who in the end refused absolutely to respond to the repeated calls upon his purse, 'or to have any further to do with this matter' - although his name does still appear on the list of shareholders in 1874.

[http://www.janesoceania.com/]

Massacre at sea

Ernest Heatley 
Sunday, September 28, 2014

"A painful sensation was created yesterday morning upon the beach, at the rumour that Mr. T. Warburton, merchant in this town, Mssrs Kington, Robson and Whitaker, planters of Taveuni and Mr Owen, master of the Meva cutter and a Fijian, had been murdered on board that craft on Wednesday night."

This was the report run by The Fiji Times of November 4, 1871, about a tragedy, the massacre of five white settlers and a Fijian on board a vessel within Fiji waters.

The incident occurred during the height of the trade in human labour within the South Pacific region.

This exchange of human cargo, infamously known as "Blackbirding" was accompanied by much violence carried out by the white men who recruited labourers from Melanesia and the "poor wretches" many of whom were lured into vessels never to see their respective homelands again.

We examine this incident which took place on the night of November 3, 1971 in waters close to the Yasawa group of islands.

On board the Meva, a 10 tonne cutter that traded in and out of Levuka were five white men, two Fijians and 40 Solomon islanders who had only recently been recruited from the blackbirding schooner Lismore.

The Solomon islanders had been grumbling about their lack of food during the voyage from Levuka bound for Taveuni, which they had left on Tuesday November 2.

After departing Taveuni, the four Australians, one New Zealander on board the vessel had no idea what was in store for them, except for one of the two Fijian crew members.

According to Marika, the Fijian who was the lone survivor of the massacre, the Solomon Islanders had murder on their minds once their demands for more food were unmet.

"When we left Levuka there was only light winds, and progress was necessarily slow. By night we were off Nairai, between that and Koro,"Marika recalled to The Fiji Times of that year.

"Throughout the day the Solomon Islanders had two meals, each receiving two ship biscuits. They were to receive two more for supper but objected through one of their number, that two was too little, they wanted three each."

The labourers were refused and it is believed that this prompted them to take murderous revenge on the white settlers when they were least prepared.

According to Marika, "They had bought plenty of firearms with them but had left them in the cabin."

But the Solomon Islanders were prepared.

The Fijian said the Melanesian labourers had with them three axes and pieces of wood as weapons which they used on the unsuspecting men in a lightning attack.

Marika had suspected the Solomon men all day on account of their manner, "for they had been so watchful of him as he was treeing, observing keenly how he put the vessel round and how he acted when in a squall."

"I was at the tiller steering, another Fijian (Moturiki man) was at the galley and the five white men at tea on deck."

"As the white men were sitting at tea, the Solomon men made their attack on them," reports The Fiji Times of November 15, 1871, which ran an account of the massacre related by Marika.

"Their first victim was Mr Warburton who was approached from behind and struck with an axe on the back of the head."

"The work of death was hurried on the victims being taken so unaware as not to have the least show of resistance."

"One of them rushed for the cabin but was struck down on the way," while the Moturiki native "had his head split open"seeing that his captain jumped overboard following Marika, who had made for the water after unsuccessfully, grappling over an oar with one of the assailants.

"While swimming away the captain directed Marika's attention to the cutter where the murderers were cutting up the bodies of the slain," continued a Fiji Times report of December 5, 1871 which carried further accounts of the tragedy by Marika.

Owen and Marika swam on for time before the New Zealander said he would not be able to continue on with the heavy clothes he had on.

According to the survivor. Owen told him to "carry word of the tragedy to Mr Scott, owner of the cutter and Messrs J C Smith and Co, Merchant of Levuka."

"Marika swam towards him but before reaching him the captain sank."

According to The Fiji Times of November 14, the Solomon Islanders managed to direct the vessel towards an island in the Yasawas.

Except for Owen, the captain who was a New Zealander, the rest of the planters were originally from Ballarat and Melbourne in Australia. Warburton was reported in The Fiji Times to be a very well-known merchant from Melbourne while the others were also well regarded.

This was why the incident caused so much fury in a white dominated Levuka and resulted in such a rapid response.

Owen, The Fiji Times reported, had only a few days earlier written to his wife inviting her to join him in Fiji.

"Not since the days of Fijian colonisation do we think that any occurrence has thrilled the people with so much horror as to date, the fearful tragedy on board the cutter Meva," The Fiji Times stated.

"We trust that there will not be any time in sending a force down at once to secure the wretches."

The Fiji Times article reported that a native reported the matter to a Mr Wanton who carried news of the tragedy to Levuka where it was received with shock and an immediate response.

This same native also carried a conflicting report about after Captain Owen and Marika jumped overboard to escape the rampaging islanders.

He said that Owen had tried to induce Marika to help him to shore by offering to give him 10 pounds but the latter refused in fear of being drowned in the process.

Meanwhile in Levuka, "about 100 men came forward to aid the Government in pursuit of the blood thirsty wretches who had perpetrated this foul deed".

The Solomon Islanders who managed to sail the Meva towards the Yasawas made ashore trying to carry out trade with natives of one of the islands in the group.

"They promised to share the trade they had on board the vessels with the Fijians saying that they had been working on Ovalau for 18 months, that their time was out and had given 80 pigs for the vessel to take them home," The Fiji Times reported.

"They also stated afterwards that they had eaten the white men and got hungry again and killed three of their comrades and eaten them so that now there were only 37 men left".

After arriving on shore, the Yasawa Island men asked the Solomon islanders, "Is this Tanna? They were told that it wasn't.

The also wanted to know whether they were going to be clubbed which the Yasawa islanders gave a similar reply.

Shortly after this exchange a Mr Murray, while on his way to Naviti "observed a cutter, with the sheet close hauled and behaving in a very strange manner, as he accordingly made for her."

"When they knew they were being pursued, they made for the reef, jumped off and swam ashore."

The Fiji Times account stated that Mr Murray had "stripped the vessel of her sails and distributed these among the natives of the island in order to prevent the men from escaping."

The 37 Solomon Islanders would be captured and taken to the capital Levuka where they would face trial for the murders.

This was just one of a number of incidents that painted a horrific picture of the blackbirding trade in Fiji and the Pacific.

The most notorious incident in fact took place that same year which claimed the life of these on the Meva.

In 1871, a voyage of the brig Carl was organised to recruit labourers to work in the plantations in Fiji.

Murray had his men disguised as Christian missionaries, islanders were enticed to religious services and later guns would force the islanders on to boats. During this voyage Murray shot about 60 islanders.

Murray was never brought to trial for his actions, and was given immunity in return for giving evidence against his crew members.

The captain of the Carl, Joseph Armstrong, was later sentenced to death.

Although the incident helped raise awareness about the illegal trade in human cargo, the business would go on for another four decades.

Between 1863 and 1904, about 62,000 islanders were brought to Queensland and Fiji, mainly from Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, to provide cheap labour for the booming sugar, cotton and pearling industries.

Fiji was also a major recruiter of neighboring Pacific nations with an estimated 10,000 Solomon Islanders recruited with only about 4000 returning to their island homes after the completion of their contracts.

This year will mark the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Melanesians in Fiji.

[http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=281505]