Fiji Lands

New Bill Introduces Important Reforms

WHEN the Legislative Council of Fiji, on February 29, finally passed the Native Land Trust Bill, there came into operation one of the most important measures ever designed in connection with the administration of that Colony.

It is a matter of history that Britain did not want the Fiji Islands; but, eventually, on the earnest solicitation of the chiefs, she was persuaded to take aver the group; and the chiefs then signed a formal Deed of Cession. By the fourth clause of the Deed of Ces sion all lands not required for the use and maintenance of the natives were handed over to the Crown. It was a gift of tremendous value to the Govern ment. But the British Governors would not accept it, and took action in the subsequent quarter-century which vir tually meant that all unalienated lands were handed back to the natives.

During the past half-century, a diffi cult situation has developed. There is a huge area of unoccupied and fertile land in Fiji—far more than is required by the 100,000 Fijian natives—but the land-titles system which has grown up as a result of handing back the un occupied lands to the natives has created endless difficulty and confusion, aggra vated by the fact that there are now nearly 90,000 Indians settled in Fiji, who mostly are of the agricultural class and who are desperately anxious to secure land.

Governor after governor has tried to secure settlement of this vexed problem of land ownership; but the thing which finally led to a solution appears to have been a speech made by the then Governor, Sir Murchison Fletcher, to the Council of Fijian chiefs in 1930. He warned them of the growing dangers of the position, and urged them to take action along certain lines, putting their trust in the British Crown. As a result of this in 1936 and subsequently, the Council of Chiefs asked the British Crown to take over all lands in Fiji, whether occupied by natives or not, and to dispose of them according to a sys tem which had been evolved in many conferences.

Briefly summarised, the plan was that the ownership of all native lands in Fiji should be vested in a Land Board appointed by the Governor; that a com mission, headed by the famous Fijian administrator, Ratu Sukuna, should examine all lands and decide which lands were necessary for the support of the Fijian people, and such lands to.be reserved absolutely for the Fijian people; and that all other lands, not so required, should be placed at the dis posal of the Land Board, to be leased out to land-seekers generally, and rent als to go for the benefit of the Fijian people.

This plan was set out in a speech by the then Governor of Fiji, Sir Arthur Richards, to the leading chiefs of the Colony, at the end of July, 1938 (re ported in the “P.1.M.”, August, 1938) and it was promised that the plan should be embodied in a Bill.

Sir Arthur Richards then left the Colony, and Sir Harry Luke, his suc cessor, was sent out, at very short notice, in order that he might open the

great Council of Chiefs, in 1938, which Council was to formally approve of the Native Land Trust Bill.

Following upon that, monumental work has been performed by the offi cials of the Fiji Government; and a most complex and difficult piece of legisla tion, called the Native Land Trust Bill, was presented to the Legislative Coun cil in February, 1940, and passed by that body. The representatives of all three communities supported the Bill —the Indians, especially, were helpful.

A view of the position, as it now exists, was admirably stated in the lead ing article in the “Fiji Times” of March 1, as follows: — ONE of the least enviable tasks of the Government service has been the straightening out of the prob lem of native lands and leases, a prob lem which immediately arose when the country was ceded to Great Britain, and one which involved complications of ownership and boundaries.

The Bill presented by the Director of Lands has all the indications of being the result of exhaustive and penetrating inquiry, and so definitely does it indi cate an attempt to facilitate the whole process of land development that its universal acceptance was assured.

To the native owners the Bill will im prove their position if only by reason of the fact that the greater facilities offered for land development will in crease the value of their land. It is no secret that in the past the leasing of native land has been a very protracted and uncertain business, the success or failure of the transactions being largely dependent on the goodwill of some par ticular native of influence whose good

offices had first to be obtained. The same procedure was also necessary even in the matter of obtaining an extension.

These matters can now be arranged on a business footing through the proper authority.

The natives will also benefit by having their land properly parcelled out. Gone forever are the days when the eyes of a district could be picked out, leaving undesired hill country to languish. Now the best of the land on a section will have to carry that which probably is not quite so good,, dnd it will be aver aged out to the greater good of all concerned. Also the proper provision for native reserves will afford perman ent protection for the native race.

The advantages to the leaseholders are equally obvious. The new Bill gives them more security of tenure, offers more encouragement to improve leases and maintain the fertility of the soil, and will remove many of the delays and obstacles which in the past have im peded them in their desire to obtain land and put it into production.

Sister Sebastian, one of the original Marist Sisters who went to Fiji 50 years ago, died at the Levuka Marist Convent in March. She was 83 years’ old —60 of which had been spent as a nun.

Rev. Clifford L. Williams, a Victorian, has been accepted by the Methodist Overseas Board for missionary service in Western Samoa.

Mr. Alan K. Whiteman has been ap pointed clerk of the New Guinea Legis lative Council, replacing Mr. Kevin S.

Sheekey, who recently left the Territory with the N.G. quota of the A.I.F.