Should Fiji Governor Be Also The

H. C. For W.P.?

Some Bitter Comments from the Solomons

Letter to the Editor.

This article comes as a letter to the editor, from a B.S.I. planter, under date October 20; but it is accompanied by betters from two other Solomon Islands residents, stating that they subscribe to every word in it.

Seldom does refutation of an expressed opinion come so speedily and emphati cally as was instanced in the August number of the “Pacific Islands Monthly.’’

In the course of the editorial headed “Pacific Administrators,” eulogistic ref erence is made to the administrative ability displayed by Sir Murchison Fletcher, in his capacity of High Com missioner for the Western Pacific, which concludes with the remark that “History should have something very flattering to say of this particular High. Commis sioner.”

Commencing on page 17 of the same issue, under the caption “Chorus from the Solomons,” there is set out an abstract of 11 letters received from resi dents containing adverse criticism of the administration, all of them “biting in character.” Clearly, whatever bouquets “history” may bestow, they will not be subscribed to by contemporary opinion in the Solomons.

If the High Commissioner is to receive credit for acts that may seem wise and statesmanlike, he must also accept re sponsibility for those that are otherwise, when they apply to territory nominally under his aegis and authority.

Sir Murchison Fletcher is doubtless a widely experienced and competent Administrator, but it is glaringly and in creasingly manifest that neither he nor anyone else, however capable, can combine the dual offices of Governor of the Colony of Fiji, and High Commis sioner for the "Western Pacific with satis faction and credit to himself, and justice to the inhabitants of such widely-scat tered and diverse territories as those which are embraced by the Western Pacific Commission.

The gubernatorial office is an important and responsible position, demanding the full time and close attention of the Governor, and the consequence is that the affairs of the Western Pacific Colonies and Protectorates, represented to the High Commissioner by various Resident Commissioners, are relegated to subord inate officials quartered at Suva who are lacking in sympathy, knowledge and understanding of the manifold problems that affect those territories and their in habitants. but on which they adjudicate, and on whose recommendations the High Commissioner—himself lacking in ex perience of the islands, and without time or opportunity for personal contact —has, perforce, to act.

The sooner the shackles which fetter island administrations to a bureaucracy at, Suva are severed the better for all concerned. If there must be a High Com missioner for the Western Pacific let the appointment be for that comprehensive

office alone, so that the Administrator may exercise real and not nominal con trol of the territories under his jurisdic tion, with time and freedom to become acquainted with his responsibilities at first hand.

Whatever may be the conditions existing in sister groups of the Western Pacific Commission, it is strikingly evident from the correspondence and articles which appear in your columns that deep discontent rages in the Solomons Protectorate, and that such should be the case in: a country possessing so relatively small a population, and with an administration not only free from debt, but having £60,000 or £70,000 of surplus funds at its disposal, can only indicate that discreditable failure must be attributed to a stupid and utterly unsuitable system of government.

The causes giving rise to dissatisfaction need not be recapitulated here. Your numerous correspondents have touched upon most of them over a long period, with varying degrees of heart-felt invective.

The policy of encouraging and pandering to Asiatic traders is uppermost in the minds of many at the moment, and with

reason. That policy was dictated, it is claimed, to assure better service to the natives than was given by Europeans; a fallacious idea founded on inexcusable ignorance of trading conditions in the Solomons, and failure to realise the moral and psychological effect upon natives of the contacts thrust upon them with the weight and authority of government, Charges of exploitation of the natives by white traders—once a favorite slogan— were unwarranted and unsubstantiated, But Asiatic traders have developed a subtle technique in that direction and the Administration may wake up one day to find the fact an inconvenient embarrass ment.

But why this deliberate attempt to oust British traders who pioneered the group, and helped to make it fit for Govern ment officials to live and thrive in? How much of the handsome surplus referred to was contributed by aliens? Very little, indeed! It is high time that the idiotic,

traditional policy favored by British Administrators, of truckling to the inter ests of every race under the sun—but their own—came to an end. Or, if they would be consistent, why not staff tha civil service with Orientals? They would probably be cheaper, and perhaps more competent. Kipling’s caustic portrayal of what happens “when the troopship’s on. the tide” might well be borne in mind by those in authority. Saviours of the Empire will not be found among the pam pered friends of the moment.

And what of native administration?

Has success in that direction been such as to compensate for the discontent existing among Europeans? Definitely and irre futably, no! If there is one phase of administration more than another of which the Colonial Office, or whoever is responsible, has reason to be ashamed, it is the administration of native affairs in the Solomons. But that does not emerge in public references, for the natives are inarticulate, especially when “Govern ment” are the oppressors.

The natives, also, are feeling the pinch these days, with their principal product (copra) bringing them (when they are able to sell it) a small fraction of the price they received a few years ago. Yet to many of them no mercy is shown; they have been informed that if their tax is not paid they must go to gaol. That will not bring grist to the Government crushing mill. The labour they can perform while in gaol is un productive, and they will have to be fed at public expense.

In relatively prosperous times the natives can quite well meet the annual levy imposed upon them by the Govern ment; but, under present conditions, many cannot do so without undue hardship and suffering. The pound of flesh, however, is to be exacted, even if it means dis rupting family and communal life, the neglect of gardens —practically the only source of their food supply —and the in culcation of a deep and abiding hatred of everything pertaining to “Govern ment.”

Of those who have gained their confi dence —not lightly given—the question is often asked: “Why do we have to pay tax? What do we get for it?” And echo answers, What! Their most pressing need is medical service, a primary con sideration with every enlightened admin istration in the world. In the Solomons there is at present one qualified medical officer (permanently stationed at Govern ment headquarters) and two “native medical practitioners” to serve a popula tion estimated to number close on 100,000!

These are facts that may be easily veri fied. Will it be contended that an effec tive service is rendered by the medical establishment when it is remembered that the Protectorate is made up of islands scattered over an area of approxi mately 14,000 square miles?

The Administration, which expends between £50,000 and £60,000 a year on its civil service, has neither an educational system nor policy. In short, nothing whatever is done by the Government for natives of the Protectorate from whom it extorts many thousands of pounds per annum in direct taxation.

For these and other reasons that space does not permit of here, the Solomons Pro tectorate will definitely and emphatically decline to subscribe to any testimonial extolling the virtues of the British Colonial Administration in the Western Pacific. Europeans, discouraged and dis gusted, have shed the last pretence of loyalty to it; and the natives, from sheer neglect—except by the tax-collector —are moribund. That is an achievement and state of affairs for which the system of administration deserves nothing but unmitigated discredit.

Mr. Fraser Light, who was for some time a resident of New Caledonia and who went abroad a year ago, returned to Sydney recently. He has sold his interests in New Caledonia and probably will settle down in Sydney.