The signing of the Deed of Cession in 1874
WE reprint the historic events of the signing of the Deed of Cession in 1874. The main aim is to give readers of today a snapshot of the things their predecessors thought and talked about. The extracts also give some indication of the great wealth of information about Fiji contained in the pages of The Fiji Times.
January 10, 1874
We hear from a reliable source that the Government troops in the Bati e wai district have occupied Beqa-i-Colo; and that Taukei Nuku, the leader of Bati e wai, and five other principal men had been captured. The people of Nuku had set fire to their town and retired inland.
March 4, 1874
On Sunday afternoon last, HMS Pearl left Bau undert steam for Kadavu. The various chiefs were at Bau, on Monday, for the purpose of discussing the subject of annexation. The meeting between the chiefs and commission was arranged to take place today. Besides the King, Ma’afu, and Tui Cakau, there are several other chiefs of importance now at Bau awaiting the meeting. Amongst the natives assembled at Bau to discuss the question of annexation, we are glad to state that the almost unanimous feeling is in favour of such a step
Wednesday, October 14, 1874
Saturday, the 10th will long be celebrated in Fiji as the day on which these island was annexed to Great Britain.
It was officially announced that the British flag would be hoisted at the Government Buildings, Nasova at 10am and a crowd of persons hastened along the newly made road from Levuka to Nasova between 9 and 10 o’clock and as rain fell in torrents many were wet to the skin.
Shortly before 10 o’clock, a messenger arrived with a dispatch stating that in consequence of the inclemency of the weather the ceremony would not take place until 2pm.
This news soon spread and saved many from a wet and dirty walk.
At 2pm precisely, about two hundred sailors and marines landed at Nasova from HM Ships Pearl and Dido, and formed a square.
About 2.30pm, the Pearl fired a salute, which announced His Excellency, Sir Hercules Robinson the Governor had left the ship, and all were on tip toe of expectation.
His Excellency and suite, accompanied by Commodore Goodenough, Edgar Layard, Hon George Innes, Attorney-General of New South Wales, Captain Chapman, and several officers in full uniform, immediately on landing, proceeded to the Council Chamber, where they were received by King Cakobau.
The King and principal chiefs and His Excellency Sir Hercules Robinson then signed the deed of cession in duplicate, when the King, after some conference with Mr Wilkinson, desired the chief secretary, Mr Thurston, to convey to His Excellency the gist of a conversation that had taken place in the early morning.
Mr Thurston said: “Your Excellency, before ceding Fiji to Her Majesty the Queen, the King desires to send Her Majesty, through Your Excellency, the only thing he possesses that may interest her.
The King sends Her Majesty his old and favourite war club, the former and until lately only known law in Fiji.
In abandoning club law, and adopting the forms and principles of civilised societies, he laid by his old weapon, and now, as Your Excellency sees, it bears upon it, the emblems of peace and friendship.
The King says that under the old law many of his people — whole tribes — passed away and disappeared, but hundreds of thousands still remain to learn and enjoy the newer and better order of things.
With this war club, the King also sends his love and respects to the Queen of England, and says that he fully depends, upon Her Majesty and her children who, succeeding her, shall become Kings of Fiji, to exercise a watchful control over the welfare of his children and people, who, having survived the era of barbaric law, are now submitting themselves under Her Majesty’s rule, to civilisation.”
The King then handed the club to His Excellency, who said: “I receive this club in the spirit in which it is tendered, and shall as the King desires, transmit it to Her Majestry”, accompanied by a full expression of the King’s wishes.
His Excellency then invited the Vunivalu and the chiefs to witness the change of the national flags on the staff members in front of the buildings.