FIJI ISLANDS: Cakobau’s Cracker

A legislative mace, symbol of parliamentary authority, is the emasculate descendant of a war club. Few are the legislative maces that look like clubs. Almost none were ever weapons. But last week the Legislative Council of the Fiji Islands got a true weapon-mace. In future no Fiji Councillor may introduce a bill or make a speech or have his vote counted unless the venerable skull-cracker of King Cakobau, last native ruler of Fiji, lies upon the table.

King Cakobau’s cracker has had an interesting history. After he had bashed the heads of his rebellious subjects with it, he waved it for many years over the more peaceable ones as a scepter. In 1874 King Cakobau’s war club was presented as a symbol of submission to Queen-Empress Victoria. Tactful King George lately ordered it sent back to Fiji, where His Majesty’s Governor Sir Murchison Fletcher of the Fiji Islands last week offered it to the Legislature.