War-Time Economy In

Fiji

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Aug. 14.

WAR shortages in Suva develop in the most surprising directions. Except for building materials, there have been no really serious shortages in im ported goods, where one might expect them. On the other hand, the Suva Municipal Electrical Department states that it is short of current, and, in ad vertisements, is shrieking to users to consume as little as possible.

This seems very unfortunate, because the more current a service sells, the cheaper the price at which it can sell.

For many years, after a bad start (when it was taken in by the charms of buying a second-hand plant discarded by

a country town in New South Wales) the Suva service developed excellently, made a goyl deal of money for the ratepayers, and served its customers well. The new customer was welcomed. But now, ap parently, that process is to be reversed — new custom is refused, and old customers are stinted.

The explanation offered is, of course, the war, and new wartime needs.

Perhaps the threatened Suva black out will come not as a result of Administrative Order but through the failure of the present electrical service, which is understood to be working under considerable strain.

Mr. E. E. Jenkins, who has been Attorney-General of Fiji since 1938, arrived in New Zealand recently for two months’ furlough.