Tropicalities

Written for The Pacific Islands Monthly by “Sea-Serpent”

EVERYONE who wishes well of Fiji, and of the staunch little party of big-visioned men who have led the Col ony in its remarkable progress during the past ten years, will be genuinely sorry to hear that Mr. Henry Marks' has been forced to put his Tova meat cannery (Fiji Development Co.) into liquidation, and that his personal loss is over £40,000. The company bought 85,000 acres of broken country in the north-east part of Viti Levu a few years ago, commenced cattle produc tion on a large scale and built a very modern cannery. The canned meats were of excellent quality and com manded a good market in Fiji and the adjoining territories. We have not heard what caused the failure; but it is usually the fact that the bold pio neers of this kind of enterprise, hav ing to bear the heavy preliminary and exploratory costs, frequently take it in the neck. Presumably, the spirit of this canning enter prise, like the soul of the lament ed John Brown, will go marching on.

Someone will buy up the Tova organi sation cheaply and, getting the advan tage of Mr. Marks’ pioneering work, will gather in the profits. But that is small comfort to Mr. Marks. There is opportunity for cattle farming and meat canning in Fiji, just as he fore saw; only, someone else will reap what he has sown. * * * THE title of Mrs. Keelan’s Papuan book “The Land of Dohori,” started an argument. Our reviewer, who knows Papua, said that “Dohori” is an onomatopoeia—and that thing, we may inform the uninitiated, is a word that is formed by imitating the sound of that which it refers to. “Wail,” “howl,”

“cluck” comes within the category. We said we could not understand how “dohori” —which means “wait a while” or “don’t be in a hurry”—could be an onomatopoeia: but the other man re torted “wait until you have heard a native drawling it out —it will almost send you to sleep.” It is one of the words most frequently heard in Papua; and it is of interest to note that when the Motuan boy says “Dohori taubada” or “Dohori sinabada” to his master or mistress, he really does not mean to be insolent, although at first it cre ates a bad impression upon anyone knowing little of the race. A white man will order his servant to bring him something. The native may hap nen to be otherwise occupied at the time, and he will drawl out “Dohori taubada, dohori.”

It is simply the custom of the coun try. * * * THE permanent establishment in Fiji of an Indian population of 75,000 is one of the most interesting developments of British colonisation in the South Seas—particularly as the history of this Indian settlement will do much to guide our Dominion states men of the future. I was glad to re ceive a copy of “Vriddhi—a quarterly review published in Suva, in Hindu and English, for the discussion of all prob lems affecting the welfare of Indian Colonists in Fiji,” capably edited by Dr. I. Hamilton Beattie, M.A., and Pandit Durga Prasad. Anxious to get some idea of what is in the minds of these Fijian Indians regarding them selves, their colonisation activities and ambitions, and their relationship with the political and social life of Fiji, I read the review with eagerness. I was much disappointed. The maga zine is devoted almost wholly to a discussion of the problems of the In dian empire, and its main object seems to be that of carrying forward the propaganda of Gandhi. Running through the various articles there is hostility to British rule in India, and an agitation for self-government and a very large measure of independence.

This is no place for the discussion of the Indian problem. Some day In dia will achieve self-government—-but not while only 23,000,000 out of a population of 317,000,000 can read and write, and while the country is torn by racial and caste hatreds which extend back into the Middle Ages, and are far more bitter and deep-seated than is the antagonism of a section of the

population towards the British —an an tagonism cultivated and influenced by Russian Communists. Some Power must govern India —no one, who knows the Indians, would suggest that they are capable of controlling that huge empire, as cne administrative unit— and, until some better alternative is found, that Power must be Britain. * * * THE Fijian-Indians are crying be cause they are not allowed upon the common electoral roll with the European population but, instead, are given a communal franchise. How can they expect to be handed the responsi bility of the common franchise when they show so little understanding of their position that they import to their free, comfortable and happy home in Fiji the viewpoints, agitations and pre judices of India? One had hoped that these people, given the marvellous opportunities and freedom of life in Fiji, would have settled down, forgot ten the troubles of their home land, and devoted themselves to the arts of good citizenship and the improvement and advancement of the land of their adoption. The British Raj is stern, but just—the subject races of Britain who become entitled to self-government in variably receive it. But the Indians’ assumption of race equality, based on the mere fact of permanent residence, without proof of the qualities of citi zenship that the common franchise de mands, is likely to be an embarrass ment to the British Administration in Fiji, just as it has been in Natal and elsewhere. Individual Indians can take an honoured place in any British society; but the average Indian of the masses, ethnographically, culturally and temperamentally, is below the standard demanded for full British citizenship, and can attain that standard only by constant striving through several gen erations.

On present appearances the Colony of Fiji has a glorious and rich future, in which the Indians will share. But the Indians must recognise their pro per place, and not make a nuisance of themselves. The permeation of the Fijian Indian community by the Gandhi school of thought is a discour aging sign. * * * NOUMEA is a delightful place in which to spend a holiday; but, says Mr. P. F. Parkes, “one can have too darned much of a good thing.” He has spent several months in New Cale donia, trying to save Bechades from liquidation and about 40 Sydney mer chants from losses running into dis tressing figures. His days were more or less occupied with business; but the long, dreary evenings in the small Noumea hotel were almost unendur able. Had it not been for the wonder ful hospitality of his many French friends, Mr. Parkes probably would have broken the monotony by assault ing a gendarme or starting a two-up school among the Annamites.

When he returned in September, Air.

Parkes startled his family by going for long walks into the bush and talk ing earnestly to himself. But every thing was in order. The explanation was that Mr. Parkes had bean using the French language for so long that he was thinking in it; and he was merely drilling himself into resuming the natural use of his mother tongue. * * * I NOTE in a Melbourne report that one, Maynard Hedstrom, has been elected president of the College Club of Trinity College, Melbourne—a posi tion that carries with it the designa tion of Senior Student. No boy can achieve this honour unless he has marked qualities and strong individu ality. I mention the fact because it is something on which the well-known merchant knight of Suva can be con gratulated; and also, because, as de monstrated in scores of families, it is seldom that the qualities of the mas terful, pioneering father are repro duced in the son. But Maynard, Junior, apparently, is a chip of the old block.