§ SIR WILLIAM M'ARTHURasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to the fact that, in the Island of Rotumah, a Resident Commissioner is the sole representative of both the Civil and Judicial authority of the Crown; that he is invested with the functions of both prosecutor and judge; is able to pass any sentence short of death; and is supreme in both Civil and Criminal eases, there being no appeal from his decisions to the Supreme Court of Fiji; and, whether the person now holding the office possesses the age and experience necessary for the exercise of these extraordinary powers?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYRotumah is a very small Island, under 10,000 acres in extent, forming part of the Colony of Fiji, but distant several hundred miles from it. As only an exceedingly slender Revenue can be raised there, it has not been found possible to maintain any judicial officer in addition to the Resident Commissioner. The facts, therefore, as stated in the Question, are substantially correct; but all sentences of imprisonment exceeding 12 months, and all fines above £50, must be reported to the Governor of Fiji, together with the notes of evidence, and are reviewed by him, with the assistance of the Chief Justice and the Attorney General. Mr. Gordon, who now fills Office of Commissioner, was Clerk to the Lands Office, and Clerk to the Executive Council in Fiji; and there is no reason to doubt that, though young, he possesses the requisite qualities for the post. There have been no complaints made from the Island.