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Fiji On A War

Action by New Governor

Major-general sir Phillip Mitchell, Fiji’s new Governor, wasted no time in summoning a meeting of the Legislative Council after his arrival.

“I do not propose to address you at length,” he said to members. “I think we must all realise that this is no time for making speeches, but rather for doing deeds.”

He laid before them two measures, both in the form of resolutions—one express ing the approval of the Legislative Coun cil to the introduction of compulsory National Service; and one for the setting up of a Standing Committee of Finance.

The Government, he said, did not imagine thaT large numbers of people for essential war work were going to be ob tained merely by the introduction of compulsion—most people in the Colony were already usefully employed—but the reasons for this National Service were briefly three —(1) That in these days of national peril every man was under an obligation to render whatever service he could; (2) so that plans could be made for the best use of manpower; and (3) so that all occupations in the Colony could be reviewed and some order of priority and importance arrived at.

With regard to the setting up of a Standing Finance Committee, he said that he looked upon it as an essential piece of machinery to enable Unofficial Members of the Council to keep in touch with the Colony’s finances.

Sir Phillip then went on to inform members of the additional measures the Council had taken towards the complete organisation of the Colony for war. In consultation with his advisers, he had come to the conclusion that the Executive Council of the Colony was the right body to assume the responsibilities of War Council, and it had therefore undertaken these duties and responsibilities.

He was deeply appreciative of the ef forts that already had been made in Fiji; but, in planning the new war-time mea sures, he and the Council were working on the assumption that all races and all sections of the community realised that there is scope for more to be done and that all wished to participate in the ef fort that was to be made.

He concluded as follows: “We shall not hesitate to change any part of our pro posals which experience in actual working or changing circumstances may show to need change, nor shall I be reluctant to admit mistakes if the event shows that I have made them, for if you do not make mistakes you are unlikely to make any thing else. Nevertheless, on the general lines of the plan laid before you in the Council paper, I believe we can do what needs to be done. What remams now for us to do is to go to it.”