A Policy Of Silence
p. 46 · Read in the full issue
WRITING from Rotuma, Fiji, Mr. W. J.
Hawthorne expresses gratification that Pacific Islands residents, through the “Pacific Islands Monthly,” have a medium for discussing their affairs. But he offers an urgent warning against irresponsible and purely destructive criticism. “Let them not seek the tearing down of any institution or constitution, unless they have something of greater value to put in its place.”
Freedom of speech and criticism, he argues, are essential to any real progress: but there is an unwritten law in the Pacific which prevents members of the staffs of the Administrations, or of the staffs of big firms (Burns, Philp & Co., Ltd., W. R.
Carpenter & Co., Morris Hedstrom Ltd., are particularly mentioned) from publicly ex pressing any opinions.
“Many of these men have acquired a fund of varied experience and knowledge in all corners and out-of-the-way places in the Pacific-men who could write volumes of interesting books, good and bad, and quite a lot of which would appear incred ible to the average man—yet we do not hear any suggestions, comments or criti cisms from them. Why? The majority are afraid of losing their positions through this short-sighted policy of officialdom.”