Land Problem In

Fiji

New Bill Seeks Tighter Control

ONE of Fiji's outstanding problems is land control. The first principle of British Administration there is pro tection of native land rights. But there now is in Fiji a rapidly growing Indian population of 120,000; and the Indians are hungry for land. The Indians have benefited enormously from “the dollar in vasion," and their demands and their wealth have tended to greatly increase the values of all alienated land.

A Bill relating to the control, adminis tration and disposal of Crown lands caused a great deal of discussion in the Legislative Council.

European and Indian unofficial mem bers generally agreed that it was neces sary to exercise control over dealings in land, but there were sharp criticisms of the system of control suggested in the Bill. It was contended that the Direc tor of Lands was being given unduly arbitrary powers, and that the penalties were too harsh.

Mr. H. H. Ragg and Mr. H. B. Gibson agreed that high prices were being paid for land, but this was due to an acute shortage of cane land. If the control en visaged in the Bill were introduced, black market dealings would increase.

Mr. Johnson suggested that the Bill should be redrafted so that the general principles should be retained, but features thought undesirable removed. Mr. H. H.

Ragg and Mr. Gyaneshwar advocated the setting up Select Committee to re consider the Bill.

The Secretary for Fijian Affairs, Ratu Sukuna, quoted speeches from past Coun cils of Chiefs to show that native lands could be leased fairly only if Govern ment had control.

The Director of Agriculture, Mr. Har vey, emphasised the harm resulting from the over burdening of farmers with debt —which the new laws would prevent. He said the Bill would protect the fertility of the Colony’s land, The Colonial Secretary, Mr. J. F. Nicoll, also emphasised that the object of the

Bill was to conserve the fertility of the so ii— a ma tter of vital importance to the Colony, in view of its steadily increasing population. The increasing fertility of CSR land in the Colony was the result of strict control of the use made of it, and the Government ofT’iji intended to exercise similar control over Crown lands for same purpose.

Financial control over land dealings was essential and urgent because there was already inflation in land values, and this had to be dealt with. The Government was not crying “wolf” when there was no “wolf.”

The Di rec t o r of Lands, in winding up the second-reading debate, underlined the importance of control of land transactions by quoting a number of cases of attempted sales at highly uneconomic prices.

The Bill was passed, with amendments.