New Laws in Fiji

Prom Our Own Correspondent r_ „ SUVA, Nov. 25.

E Fiji Legislative Council has just finished a short session, presided over by the officer administering the Government (Acting Governor, Mr. J. P.

Nicoll). At this session there were numer ous bills tor consideration, including the new Companies and Bankruptcy Bills.

These are modelled on the current Eng lish Acts, and should bring the Colony into line with more up-to-date legislation in these matters. Ordinances at present in force are those of 1921 and 1889 re spectively.

Also for consideration were bills to establish a code of criminal law and to make provision for the procedure to be followed in criminal cases. These bills are principally to codify the existing criminal law and procedure, which at present are contained in English common law, English statutes and local ordin ances.

These, and other bills, are the outcome of the decision to bring into force a re vised edition of the'laws of the Colony, and the opportunity is being taken to introduce more modern legislation prior to the publication of the 1944 revised edition. The last revised edition was that of 1924.

Select committees will report on some of the new bills before next session, about mid-December, Mr. J. A. Garnett was appointed a member of the Fiji Production and Mar keting Control Advisory Committee, in October.

The engagement was recently an nounced in Suva of Miss Mabel Aspinall, fourth daughter of the late Mrs. L.

Aspinall, and Lieut, Norman Neil Mac donald, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. N. J.

Macdonald, of Suva.