Hmfs " Viti "

Fiji's Expensive Ship

Prom Our Own Correspondent SUVA, June 12.

A FEATURE of the Legislative Council meeting on June 7 was the Gov ernor’s announcement that the Gov ernment ship “Viti” now has naval status —she has HMFS (His Majesty’s Fiji Ship) before her name and flies the White Ensign, the hoisting of which was performed with due ceremony last April.

Most Fiji people regard the “Viti” with bitterness —she cost £70,000 and, just lying in the harbour, eats up nearly £7O a day. If the vessel has any real value for naval purposes, no taxpayer would grudge the considerable expenditure necessary to utilise her services, but if — as seems more probable—her war utility is likely to be limited, it is regrettable that so new and in some ways excellent a vessel could not be transferred to serve to better purpose in another part of the world, with consequent relief to local finances.

Was Offer Made?

Letter to the Editor OUR Legislative Councillors are in session and, as usual, their time is principally occupied in tinkering with the Ordinances or in discovering some new means of taxation. So far, there is no sign of any really useful legislation or progressive purpose.

The elected member for the Southern Division asked some pertinent questions regarding the official yacht “Viti”. The replies confirm that the “Viti” is a most expensive luxury. The cost of her maintenance alone is sufficient to damn her supposed usefulness. One question asked by the member referred to was: “Has any offer been made for the pur chase of the ‘Viti’?” The reply was eva sive—in fact, could not be considered a reply at all.

The reason advanced for the retention of this craft is that she is now armed and may be engaged in mine-sweeping.

This is merely camouflage, as there is no need for this service.

In the opinion of many, if a reasonable offer has been made for the “Viti”, the authorities would be wise to accept it, and purchase at much less cost a much smaller vessel, or procure a seaplane which, it is contended, would take the Administrator on his necessary visits to the various islands; and both time and expense would be saved by this means.

So far, there is no indication in the debates that the Government has any intention of assisting the copra or any other of our local industries, and the elected members do not press the matter as much as it is thought desirable. Their sole aim seems to be to gather as much money as they can by taxing an already

over-burdened public.

I am, etc.,

Richard B. Howard.

Navua, June 19, 1941.

The 55 ft. auxiliary yawl-rigged yacht, “Inyala”, arrived in NZ on June 13 after a 20 days’ arduous voyage from New Caledonia. The crew were Mr. J. Allen, of Auckland, who flew to Noumea to bring her back for her owner, Mr. T. McGill; and Messrs. Alfred Mezieres and Rene Bierge, two Free Frenchmen.