Colonial Fiji
| Colony of Fiji | ||||||||||
| British colony | ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Motto Rerevaka na Kalou ka Doka na Tui Fear God and honour the Queen |
||||||||||
|
Anthem God Save the Queen |
||||||||||
.svg) |
||||||||||
| Capital |
Levuka (1874–1877) Suva (1877–1970) |
|||||||||
| Languages | English, Fijian, Fiji Hindi | |||||||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | |||||||||
| Monarch | ||||||||||
| • | 1874–1901 | Victoria | ||||||||
| • | 1901–1910 | Edward VII | ||||||||
| • | 1910–1936 | George V | ||||||||
| • | 20 January – 11 December 1936 (abdicated) | Edward VIII | ||||||||
| • | 1936–1952 | George VI | ||||||||
| • | 1952–1970 | Elizabeth II | ||||||||
| Governor | ||||||||||
| • | 1874–1875 | Hercules Robinson | ||||||||
| • | 1968–1970 | Robert Sidney Foster | ||||||||
| Chief Minister | ||||||||||
| • | 1967–1970 | Kamisese Mara | ||||||||
| Legislature | Legislative Council | |||||||||
| History | ||||||||||
| • | Established | 10 October 1874 | ||||||||
| • | Independence | 10 October 1970 | ||||||||
| Area | ||||||||||
| • | 1901 | 18,274 km² (7,056 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | ||||||||||
| • | 1901 est. | 120,124 | ||||||||
| Density | 6.6 /km² (17 /sq mi) | |||||||||
| • | 1936 est. | 198,379 | ||||||||
| Density | 10.9 /km² (28.1 /sq mi) | |||||||||
| • | 1966 est. | 476,727 | ||||||||
| Density | 26.1 /km² (67.6 /sq mi) | |||||||||
| Currency |
Fijian pound (1874–1969) Fijian dollar (1969–1970) |
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Today part of |
 Fiji
|
|||||||||
The Colony of Fiji was a British crown colony that existed from 1874 to 1970 in the territory of the present-day nation of Fiji. The United Kingdom declined its first opportunity to annex the Kingdom of Fiji in 1852. Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau had offered to cede the islands, subject to being allowed to retain his Tui Viti (King of Fiji) title, a condition unacceptable to both the British and to many of his fellow chiefs, who regarded him only as first among equals, if that. Mounting debts and threats from the United States Navy had led Cakobau to establish a constitutional monarchy with a government dominated by European settlers in 1871, following an agreement with the Australian Polynesia Company to pay his debts. The collapse of the new regime drove him to make another offer of cession in 1872, which the British accepted. On 10 October 1874, Britain began its rule of Fiji, which lasted until 10 October 1970.
Sir Hercules Robinson, who had arrived on 23 September 1874, was appointed as interim Governor. He was replaced in June 1875 by Sir Arthur Gordon. Rather than establish direct rule in all spheres, Gordon granted autonomy over local affairs to Fiji's chiefs, though they were now forbidden to engage in tribal warfare. The colony was divided into four regions, each under the control of a Roko; these regions were further subdivided into twelve districts, each ruled by a traditional chief. A Great Council of Chiefs was established in 1876 to advise the Governor. This body remained in existence until being suspended by the Military-backed interim government in 2007 and abolished in 2012. Under the 1997 Constitution, it functioned as an electoral college that chose Fiji's President, Vice-President, and 14 of the 32 Senators. In its early days, the Great Council was supplemented by a Native Regulation Board (now the Fijian Affairs Board); these two bodies together made laws for the Fijians. (European settlers, however, were not subject to its laws). In 1882, the capital was moved from Levuka to the more accessible Suva.
...
Wikipedia