Governor Of Fiji

Sir Murchison Fletcher, K.C.M.G., Gov ernor of Fiji, left Suva for England by the Niagara on March 8. He intends to return at the end of July.

Our Suva correspondent reports that during the absence on leave of Sir Mur chison Fletcher, Hon. A. A. Wright, the Acting Colonial Secretary, is to act as officer administering the Government of Fiji, whilst Hon. A. L. Armstrong is to act as Colonial Secretary. The affairs of the Western Pacific High Commission will be administered by the Assistant to the High Commissioner, Captain Sir Maxwell Maxwell-Anderson, C.B.E., R.N. (retired).

The health of the Governor of Fiji (who is also High Commissioner for the Wes tern Pacific) has not been satisfactory, and he is suffering from nervous strain.

He plans to return in July; but as his term of office expires about September he is unlikely to do so unless his appoint ment is extended for another twelve months. In any case, a lot depends upon medical advice.

Sir Murchison joined the Colonial Ser vice in Hongkong in 1901, and most of his earlier career was in the East. Later, he had a strenuous period of service as Colonial Secretary in Ceylon at the time when the Donaughmore report was being framed. From Ceylon he was appointed to his present post in 1930. His prede cessor, Sir Eyre Hutson, had taken office when the Colony’s balance sheet showed an accumulated deficit of nearly £250,000, but had turned that deficit into a surplus. Sir Murchison continued the good work and to-day the Colony’s accu mulated surplus is round about the half million mark. Naturally such an amaz ing reversal inside a decade has been only possible through unexpected wind falls, such as gold sales and exchange,. but Sir Murchison’s policy of stringent and meticulous economy has helped con siderably to build up the present rock sound state of affairs.

Mr. C. Southey, of Ba, Fiji, was stay ing at “Belvedere,” Darlinghurst. early in March. He was joined later by his son Jack, from Norfolk Island.