Teacup

Storm In Suva's

The Mayor and a Referendum

'T'HE Municipal Council of Suva, Fiji, on October 26, in opposition to the wishes of the Governor, took a referendum of electors on the question: “Do you approve of Government control of the municipality of Suva?”

The answer was: Yes, 64; No, 295.

The plan that Suva municipality should be controlled by a council nominated by the Governor, instead of one elected by the residents appears to be the only al ternative to eventual confusion and strife.

Already, the Indians vastly outnumber the Europeans, and they naturally de mand equal franchise rights.

The leader of the opposition to the nominative council system, and the pro moter of the referendum, is Hon. Alport Barker, mayor of Suva. Mr. Barker also is editor of the local newspaper. We have read the reports of council meetings, and the newspaper’s editorials; and, appar ently, Mr. Barker’s main argument is that ancient, demogogic one: “The people must not be deprived of their democratic rights,”

It is very remarkable. Mr, Barker talked as if he were a mayor-cum-editor in Australia or New Zealand. He appeared to be blind to the entirely different con ditions of Fiji, and blissfully ignorant of the history of Indian settlement in the Empire during the last 20 or 30 years.

The vote (295 to 64) was practically valueless. The people, hearing only one side of the question—for the full case for the Government was not presented—voted with Mr. Barker, in the direction in which their inclinations quite naturally lay.

We must respect Mr. Barker’s fearless ness and capacity for independent thought: but we think he would have rendered much better public service if he had removed himself from the atmosphere of petty municipal politics, and sought the broad-visioned. Imperial viewpoint. He seems to have quite missed the point that there is another important Imperial issue involved in this storm in the Suva teacup.

Actually it does not matter twopence whether Suva is controlled by a nominated or elected council; but it is important that 5000 Europeans, 85,000 Indians and 100,000 Fijians should live happily together in this very rich Crown Colony.

Mr. Barker should go and live in Aus tralia, and learn a few things about his precious “democracy.”

Mr. F. R. Charlton, Commissioner of Lands in Fiji, has been appointed a nominated member of the Legislative Council.