Sir Murchison Fletcher

Leaves for Trinidad Ceremonial Farewell to Fiji Governor

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, May 21.

INTERESTING ceremonies marked the departure of Sir Murchison Fletcher, K.C.M.G., C.8.E., Governor of Fiji since 1929, from Suva on May 1, when he left by the Aorangi for England, en route to Trinidad, where he will shortly take up the Governorship.

At Government House bure, His Excel lency was met by native chiefs represent ing every province in the Colony, and this ceremony was combined with reguregu, or mourning for His Late Majesty King George V.

Each chief brought a tubua (whale’s tooth), as a symbol of condolence to the Royal Family, and one of these was given to His Excellency for conveyance to King Edward VIII. The presentation was made with full ceremonial, and after it, came the sevusevu (presentation of a root of yaqona to the chiefs on behalf of His Ex cellency).

The formal farewell of the chiefs to His Excellency embodied the impressive meke ni-yaqona, in which kava was ceremoni ously prepared and presented to the guests of honour. This was particularly well done, and the chiefs seated around the tanoa (bowl) in full costume made a strik ing picture, while the chanting as the drink was mixed lent a touch of the bar baric.

Ratu George Tuisawau, recently ap pointed Roko Tui Rewa, read an address of farewell, expressing the Fijians’ regret at His Excellency’s departure. He stressed the satisfaction of the natives at the fact that the Governor had revived the pro motion of hereditary chiefs as recognised provincial administrators in the provinces of their birth. This leadership, which for some time had been dormant, was in every way compatible with the custom and tra dition of the land, and rightly won the genuine applause of the Fijians.

Replying, Sir Murchison said that he had come from England with confidence in the people of Fiji; it had not been mis

placed, and he looked back to many happy days spent here. He had tried to lead the Fijians forward in the path of progress, and they were making steady progress.

Their future lay very largely in the hands of the chiefs, who by the way in which they exercised their authority and their influence could do much to make or mar the future of their people.

His Excellency was presented with a walking stick of Fiji ebony as a memento of his stay in the Colony.

Arriving at the wharf where a large crowd of residents had congregated, His Excellency was received by a guard of honour of the Defence Force. After in specting the guard, he performed his last official act, presenting a number of decora tions. These were: The insignia of 0.8. E. to Major C. B.

Joske, M.C., E.D., for his to the Colony over a long period of years, par ticularly in connection with his work for the Defence Force and the Boy Scouts’

Association.

The insignia of 0.8. E. to Mrs. J. Russell, wife of the Director of Education, for her services to the Girl Guide movement.

The silver Medal of Merit of the Boy Scouts’ Association to District Scoutmaster Louis Mahibir, who has had 16 years’ ser vice in the movement, ten of them as a scoutmaster.

The silver medal of the Royal Humane Society to Joni Draunimasi, of Bua, for rescuing another Fijian who was attacked by an oqo (a large and ferocious species of barracouta).