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...
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