Looking back in history The Fiji Times opened shop in Levuka on September 4, 1869 by George Littleton Griffiths who was 25 years old at the time.
The London-born Griffiths remained owner of this newspaper until his death in 1908. There have been seven owners of The Fiji Times since its inception 152 years ago.
The Fiji Times was managed by his son Arthur but in 1911 it was sold to a limited liability company.
Sir Alport Barker was the owner of The Fiji Times from 1918 when he merged it with his Western Pacific Herald which he had founded in 1901. Mr Barker renamed the paper The Fiji Times and Herald and in 1954 he formed a company named Fiji Times and Herald Ltd.
In February 1956 Mr R.W.Robson who was the founder of Pacifi c Publications Pty Ltd, bought The Fiji Times from Sir Alport Barker. In 1987 Rupert Mudoch’s News Ltd took over The Fiji Times. 2010 September the Motibhai Group of companies purchased the newspaper to comply with the local ownership provision of the Media Industry Development Decree.
And even though the ownership of The Fiji Times has changed several times the company has over the years stood by its first editorial by G.L Griffi ths the original founder of the newspaper.
“In sending out this, our first number of The Fiji Times, we do so with sincere modesty. We make no pretensions of greatness and remember that little boats, to be safe must keep near the shore. We give no great promises and attempt no meteorlike “leaders” but prefer the more modest as well as noble, plan of saying little and doing much. To be honest we wish for ourselves a large circulation and a long successful career! For our supporters, we contemplate interesting and useful information.
The only promise that we make is that we shall watch the times and try to make our paper public good, a practical, useful and honest medium for the support of honour, truth and right. We shall maintain the liberty of the press and the rights of all men. In undertaking this we are conscious of many difficulties.
The smallness of local information, the want of quicker information, the very scattered population, as well as the dividing and clashing interests of a small community made up of men of various nations, with as various opinions , all perhaps contending for the superiority of the one and the right of the other.
Only let us use moderation and try and learn wisdom from the wise, who teach us that it is possible for others to be right and ourselves wrong; that wisdom will not die with us and that others may be as wise and good as ourselves; and that the real good of one is the real good of the whole!
The necessity of a paper is so patent that it needs no argument. A mere glance at the country and a few weeks experience demonstrate the fact. We must know and be known. Commercially, politically socially and morally, we must grow and also keep pace with the times, or suffer the penalty of such neglect.
Many subjects of vital importance need ventilating, and for the lovers of the country, of industry,commerce, moralsand humanity, there is a vast field of usefulness. There is plenty of room for us all, for our pens, for our purses, for our efforts. Let us put our shoulders to the wheel and heave together for the general good.
How little is known of the resources of the country, with the advantages and disadvantages of Fiji life. How little is known of our geographical importance, with all our advantage of climate, soil, harbours and central position in the South Pacifi c in the very highway between the American continent and the colonies and offering such advantages as calling places for the ocean mail steamers and other enterprises.
How is the country to be governed so as to ensure peace and unity between the settlers and the natives, as well as secure a prosperous future?
How is honest labour to be procured, security at the same time the rights of the master and the man? Indeed we have all the means to found a new colony, the amalgamation of a nation with ourselves, with all the responsibility, and we shall need every means of information, and for watching the movements of our neighbours, so that we may learn wisdom from their misfortunes or successes.
And not least of all, we have to defend ourselves against the imputations of encouraging slavery and demonstrate our abhorrence of the system!
Unless we are much mistaken in the feeling of the community and the settlers generally, they have no other idea then of securing honest and free labour. On this subject our columns shall give no uncertain sound.
We have no party interests to serve and our columns are open on all occasions for free discussion, subject only to the usual restrictions of a free press.
