"Little India"

A New Book About Fiji

Little India of the Pacific,” by JT John Wesley Coulter; from The University of Chicago Press; price 2 dollars.

The fact that their service-men are now stationed in most Pacific territories has stimulated American interest in those territories. Any books written on Pacific subjects are therefore in demand.

This small work on Fiji by J. W. Coul ter, formerly of the Department of Geo graphy at the University of Hawaii, and now recalled to active service with the US Army, is the result of field work ear ned out in Fiji and India. It gives valu a u an d easil y assimilated, information on I .^* le geography and the economic and political conditions of Fiji, a fair back ground of its history, land policy and, in particular, it discusses fully the Fijian and Indian problems of the past, present and the future.

Coulter says that, while the native I'ijian is easy-going and carries on his me and farming in much the same way as he did prior to the advent of Euro peans, the Indian, who was introduced originally as an indentured labourer to work the sugar plantations, is a ‘‘land hungry,” natural peasant farmer who

loves and identifies his land with him self and his life. Hard-working, frugal, and with a birth-rate much higher than that of the Fijians, he bids fair to occupy the soil eventually and, as he has also taken to tailoring, shoemaking and other commercial pursuits, he may also domi nate the economic life of the Colony.

The Fijian prefers to remain with his village group, clear enough land to raise sufficient -food for the village wants, and then abandon it for another area when the good has been taken from the soil.

He likes his old customs and methods and easy way of life. But the Government 18 trying to make an individual farmer of him, to establish him on a farm of his own, like many Indians. But this new wa J llfe is something he cannot understand. Can he adjust himself to it —and can he survive? ‘‘Little India of the Pacific” will be of interest to all those who are interested * n , u 0 Problems of the Pacific and its inhabitants, native and non-native. e v. L. Stibbard, of the Melanesian Mission, has been appointed temporarily to the parish of Eugowra (NSW).

Rev. R. S. Brown, of the Methodist Mission, will be employed in deputation services until such time as he is able to return to his mission station in New Guinea.