Fiji Indians

Discussion on Their Economic Condition

REFERENCE -was made in the Decem ber “P.1.M.” to outrageous state ments made to American newspapers in Honolulu by an Indian publicist, Dr.

Kunzru, concerning the condition ot Indian farmers in Fiji.

It was pointed out, then, that the Indians in Fiji enjoy conditions of com fort and security, compared with what they have been transported from in India; and that they live mostly on their own little farms, where they grow their own food, and do a certain amount of work for the sugar-mills, at rates of wages ranging from 2/- to 6/- per day, accord ing to skill.

We now have received the annual re port of the Secretary for Indian Affairs in Fiji, for 1937, and it contains the fol lowing interesting section: “A great deal has been said of the poverty of the Indian agriculturist and many suggestions have been made for re lieving him, particularly of the load of debt under which he is reputed to labour.

It is regrettably true that there are numerous Indian farmers who are seem ingly weighed down by their debts, but at the same time these are particular cases which do not justify the general assumption that all Indian agriculturists are in the same plight. Indebtedness may be due to various causes, but the case which calls for most sympathy is that of the man who, through his own ignor ance or any other cause, has made an in equitable contract for the purchase of the land holding.

“The commonest cause of indebted ness, however, is undoubtedly the im providence of the average Indian far mer, who, in order to obtain prestige at the birth of his child or marriage of his daughter, will incur a debt which may be far beyond his normal means to re pay. The weapon of indebtedness falls naturally into the hand of any person who is attempting to belittle the eco nomic condition of Indian agricultur ists, and is liable to obscure the true position, which is that an industrious peasant farmer, even though his holding be outside the cane areas, can feed him self and his family off the produce of his land and provide himself and them with cash to purchase the other necessaries of life. In the rice areas farmers are liable to be effected by ad verse weather and their own improvi dent cultivation, and while even the poorest rice farmers are not reduced to a state of actual want, their condition, and that of other farmers, is about to engage the special attention of the De partment of Agriculture with a view to securing adequate return to individual growers.

“The sugar-cane farmers are well situated in regard to markets and prices and to the matter of obtaining loans which they can do without having to resort to the money lender. It is true that the Colonial Sugar Refining Com pany discourages its tenants from plant ing food crops on their holdings, but it assists them in other directions to keep their domestic expenses at a reas onable level.

“It may be said that the only Indians who become destitute are those who, by reason of age or infirmity, are unable to obtain employment and who also are without relatives to support them”.

The estimated Indian population in Fiji at the end of December, 1937, was 89,333, being 50,394 males and 38,939 fe males. The nett annual increase in In dian population during the year was 2,456.

At a session of the Fiji Legislative Council on December 2, Mr. C. Chattur Singh appealed for an official inquiry into the economic condition of the In dians in Fiji. He insisted that the ma jority of them were very poor—“merely existing”. He said there were about 16.000 in agriculture and some 8,000 or 9.000 in trades and commerce. The bulk of the balance of the community of some 90.000 was made up of children and fe males, leaving about 25,000 to support the rest of the population.

I Hon. T, L. Nevitt, M.L.C., of Papua, whose health necessitated a trip South some weeks ago, returned to Port Mores by the “Macdhui” in December. Fol lowing a successful operation in Bris bane, his health is now completely re stored.

Mr. J. Gonlag, who has been attached to the geological staff of Islands Ex ploration Co. in Papua for the last year, left Port Moresby for Batavia by the “Tasman” in December.