Council.
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Fiji Hindus Leave
Renewed Demand For Common Roll.
DURING the past few years, there has been a constant agitation by the Indian members of the Fiji Legisla tive Council to introduce a common roll for European and Indian electors.
At the last meeting of the Legislative Council in October, 1932, the motion was again advanced but, on the advice of the Governor (Sir Murchison Fletcher) the Indian members withdrew the motion and instead of retiring from the Council, as was the practice adopted by former Indian members, they decided to remain there and co-operate with the other members for the good of the Colony as a whole.
However, when the 1933 session of the Council commenced on February 21, His Excellency, the Officer Administering the Government (Hon. A. W. Seymour) in his opening address announced that there would be no alteration in the pre sent system of Indian representation.
His Excellency said; “With regard to the views expressed by the Indian Hon ourable Members on the subject of a common electoral roll, I have been authorised by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to announce his decision, which he has telegraphed as follows: When Legislative Council next meets you may announce that I have carefully considered the views ex pressed in the debate in Council on October 13, but that the debate ap pears to indicate that it would be im practicable under present conditions to contemplate the adoption of a system of Common Roll representation in pre ference to the existing system of elec tion.’
He then said he hoped the Indian Members would continue to give their support and co-operation as Members of the Council.
When the session was resumed on the following morning, the two Indian Mem bers, Mr. K. B. Singh and Mr. M. M.
Mudialar, stated that as the reply to their request for a common roll was un satisfactory, they were compelled to resign.
Before leaving the Council, Mr. Singh thanked the Hon. A. W. Seymour for the trouble he had taken in communicating with the Colonial Secretary, and con veyed his thanks to the Secretary of State for his consideration of the matter and the reply. He said it was very un fortunate that the decision was unfav ourable and under the circumstances they had no option but to resign from the Council.
EDITORIAL NOTE. —This means that, as in previous years, the large Indian community of Fiji will be without representation in the Legis lature. It is a notable example of “cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face.” The Indians gain nothing by this policy—there is not the least prospect of Indian peasants and coolies being placed on an equality with European resi dents, in Fiji or anywhere else. It really does not matter —no Indian community in the world is more prosperous and comfortable than that of Fiji.
Dr. and Mrs. Clements left Manus, T.N.G., for Sydney by the “Montoro” on February 10. Dr. Clements will take up work at the University of Sydney as Lecturer in Epidemiology to the School of Tropical Medicine.