Solid Fiji

Exports Exceed Imports

A Fijian’S Word Of Advice

“Fiji is absolutely solid. Our assets are above our liabilities and we practically have no debt. Our exports are far ahead of our imports.”

IN this brief but convincing manner, Mr. Thomas Horne, managing director of Messrs. W. Horne and Co. Ltd., of Suva, and a vice-president of the Suva Chamber of Commerce, described the present economic position of Fiji, in a recent interview. And, just to give a little more force to his remarks, he added, “And don’t forget, the Fiji £1 banknote is worth the full 20 shillings.”

Mr. Horne arrived in Sydney last month, coming South for health reasons. His many friends throughout the Colony will be pleased to know that he has recuperated and plans to return to Suva in March.

Fijians Are Fortunate

Mr. Horne related a most interesting story to show how the Fijian native views the present world-wide slump.

“A Fijian asked a Government official why the price of copra was so low, and the official referred him to me for an explanation. I told the native that there was over-production of nearly every commodity. There was more sugar than the world required, more copra, more coffee, more tea. The result was that prices of produce were low and this caused much unemployment and poverty. There was no chance of copra going up for some time.

“The old Fijian, who is 85 years of age—but who can still husk a coconut with his teeth —thanked me for the information.

“Addressing the assembled natives this old man said: “ ‘This is an object lesson to all you young people here. The island is ours and no one can take it away from us.

My advice to you is to plant up and produce yams, taros, bananas and coconuts. If you have not enough food to keep you going while your plantation is growing, you can live on the products of the bush. You have a sea all round you where you can catch fish. You can raise poultry and pigs.

If the worst comes to the worst and you have no money, do as your forefathers did and make your clothes out of bark. After what Mr. Horne has told us, we are better off in Fiji than anywhere else in the world.” ———