George Austin Woods

George Austin Woods (1828 – 1905, in Suva) was a British navy officer who served as premier of the Kingdom of Viti between May 1872 and 1874.[1][2][3]

Woods served as lieutenant in the Royal Navy.[2] His father, George, had also served in the Royal Navy and so had others of his relatives.[4] He then worked as marine surveyor in New Zealand.[2] In February 1871 he arrived in Fiji, hoping to work as surveyor there.[2][4] Once in Fiji he came into contact with King Seru Epenisa Cakobau.[2] He went on to serve as Premier in Cakobau's cabinet.[2] He also served as Minister of Land and Works and as Minister of Native Affairs at the same time.[5] He focused on the financial management of the state.[6] When chiefs demanded that Woods be excluded from meetings of Fijian ministers, Cakobau named him as Tui Kaba, adopting him into the Bauan ruling family.[2][6]

References
  1. Peter Truhart (1 January 2003). Asia & Pacific Oceania. Walter de Gruyter. p. 1379. ISBN 978-3-11-096746-3.
  2. Jane Samson (January 1998). Imperial Benevolence: Making British Authority in the Pacific Islands. University of Hawaii Press. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-8248-1927-9.
  3. John Spurway (23 February 2015). Ma'afu, Prince of Tonga, Chief of Fiji: The life and times of Fiji’s first Tui Lau. ANU Press. p. 693. ISBN 978-1-925021-18-9.
  4. Adolph Brewster Brewster (1937). The King of the Cannabal Isles: A Tale of Early Life and Adventure in the Fiji Islands. Robert Hale. p. 149.
  5. Deryck Scarr (1973). The Majesty of Colour: I, the very bayonet. Australian University Press. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-7081-0704-1.
  6. Levuka: Living Heritage. [email protected]. 2001. p. 86. ISBN 978-982-02-0312-9.
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