November, 1869: Suva lands declared “open for settlement” by The Polynesia Company,

The Polynesia Company, Limited, having been formed, issued its regulations in November, 1869, under which land warrants were to be issued to shareholders entitling them to “select” lands in districts declared by the Company “open for settlement”. The Suva lands were declared open for settlement. No shareholder might make more than one frontage selection in the Suva district; and any selection with a sea frontage was limited to 160 acres.

HEIRS OF JOHN B. WILLIAMS (UNITED STATES) v. GREAT BRITAIN (Fijian Land Claim*. November 0, 1923, Pages 606-611.) Cession Of Sovereignty, Annexation : Private Property Rights Acquired Previous To.Interpretation Of (“Primitive) Municipal Law. Reports Of International Arbitral Awards Recueil Des Sentences Arbitrales Benson Robert Henry (United States) V. Great Britain (Fijian Land Claims) 2 November 1923 Volume Vi Pp. 100-104 http:..www.untreaty.un.org/cod/riaa/cases/vol_VI/100-104_Benson.pdf

July 13, 1869: First half of Cakobau debt paid by Polynesia Company: 27,000 acres sold

July 13, 1869 : These instalments were, in fact, paid by the Polynesia Company, Limited, on July 13, 1869, and on November 19, 1870, respectively.
Nine other chiefs and landowners sign: By a deed dated July 13, 1869, Cakobau and one Natika, with the ratification and confirmation of nine other chiefs and landowners, who also signed, conveyed to the Polynesia Company, Limited, certain lands at Suva to the extent of about 27,000 acres, wherein were included the 480 acres in respect of which this claim for compensation is made.

HEIRS OF JOHN B. WILLIAMS (UNITED STATES) v. GREAT BRITAIN (Fijian Land Claim*. November 0, 1923, Pages 606-611.) Cession Of Sovereignty, Annexation : Private Property Rights Acquired Previous To.Interpretation Of (“Primitive) Municipal Law. Reports Of International Arbitral Awards Recueil Des Sentences Arbitrales Benson Robert Henry (United States) V. Great Britain (Fijian Land Claims) 2 November 1923 Volume Vi Pp. 100-104 http://www.untreaty.un.org/cod/riaa/cases/vol_VI/100-104_Benson.pdf

1862: Missionaries were not permitted to engage in trade, or land; but some broke the rules

For example appeared that (missionary William) Moore adhered to that stipulation until the 1860s. he then sold land he owned in Australia and placed the proceeds in trust with the Wesleyan Church. This gave him the the capital to invest in Fiji which he did, beging in 1862, when her purchased ( from a Melbourne man named Thompson) a small island between Ovalau and Bau,   He was hoping the Mission chairman might buy is. “ but we cant see together, so I have to purchase this so as to have a place for a cow and some goats.  He argue that rule did not apply to him as he was buying, and “second hand from traders”.   Moore was later in 1858 to help Melbourne entrepreneurs plan the development of the Polynesian Company; this was to get very large land holdings and a Fiji banking monopoly from Cacobau in exchange for paying his US debt, and float the the Polynesian Company;on the stock market. In 1869 the New South Wales Methodost Conference removed Moore from his role as chair.
p372 Exodus of the I Taukei By Andrew Thornley, Tauga Vulaono, University of the South Pacific Institute of Pacific Studies, Institute of Pacific Studies.