Big Families

He Believed In Big Families

“The nearest I could get ft u‘ Kai Viti’ to help me with mr 80th birthday party was grandson of that famous G. R Griffiths who, when I landes in Fiji in 1902, was the pro o prietor and editor of ‘The Fvj Times,’ ” writes Mr. Christopher Wager, from Tugun, Queensi land.

Then he reminisces: “Griffith& was an impressive, greybeardes figure—it was not with ans disrespect that we called him ‘Old GL’. He had founded ‘Tht Fiji Times’ in 1869, and madt his mark on the Colony’s history; yet he was only 69 when he died.

“One of his daughters wan called Ciwa which—being Fijian for Nine—indicates that he hm at least nine children. Early in his married life he adopter three nieces and, later on, thres more. They were a jolly familu' and helped to make Suva thd pleasant place it was when first knew it.

“It is remarkable how than family has scattered—there arn members of it now in England > Barbados, California, Australia: and New Zealand. The onhl member of it who stayed in Fijx\ as far as I know, is Ella, one oc the second lot of nieces, whn now is Mrs. Charles Stinson.”