No Free Travel.

Natives In Solomons.

THERE was issued in Suva on April 27, from the offices of the High Com missioner for the Western Pacific, ‘King’s Regulation No. 4 of 1933,” under which the High Commissioner is given power to ‘‘make rules for con trolling the movements of natives travelling into or out of or within the limits of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate.”

Simultaneously, a set of rules was issued. They provide that a native — with the exception of Crown servants, recruited or indentured labourers, and seamen —may not move from one dis trict to another without a pass being issued to him by the District Officer, and that each pass shall cost one shilling. Each pass shall be valid for one year only and shall specify the district or place to which the native pro proposes to travel or remain.

The reason for the new regulations is not known. At first glance, it seems to be a law that will harass the natives, and certainly will cause officials no end of trouble in its enforcement.

Planter’S Resentment.

We have received the following let ter, dated August 12, from a planter and trader resident in the Solomons: — What must surely be one of the most astonishing regulations ever in flicted upon an undeserving com munity is ‘‘No. 4 of 1933” (‘‘Native Passes Regulation”). It is safe to say that it would not be easy to devise a regulation better calculated to unneces sarily interfere with the liberty of the subject, and pointedly harass the already overburdened underdog.

A native must not leave his “dis trict” for another without first visiting the District Officer (who may be stationed hundreds of miles away) and paying a shilling for a “Pass,” which may not be issued unless the D.O. is satisfied that the applicant will be given “The freedom of the City” so to speak in the “district” which he in tends visiting. As often as not the same D.O. cannot be satisfied about this, since he knows nothing about the district, seeing he never visits there.

As to the term “district,” not even Einstein himself, with his “Theory of Relativity,” could with certainty de termine its true meaning.

In the case of whites, those most severely affected are the smaller em ployers, already struggling for their economic lives, who find casual labour of no little assistance to them.