Newspaper

Another Indian Newspaper Plurality of Journals to Air Political Views

SUVA, Sept. 27.

FIJI now rejoices in nine Indian news papers, some of them, it is alleged by local inhabitants, established by disgruntled members of the community for no other reason than to place a good, swift kick in the pants of a rival faction.

The ninth publication,. “The Indian Times,” made its first appearance on Sep tember 15. It is a monthly journal of 26 pages, 6h of them in English and the rest in Hindustani. Its aims are obscure, unless it is to present the Indian view to the Europeans, but at least in its first issue (English section) it indulges in no kicking of local pants.

The publisher, Babii Ram Singh, is the proprietor of a well-established printery in Suva.

The question that is agitating the Indian population of Fiji at present is the Shephard report on the sugar indus try. A brief outline of this report was given in the August issue of “PIM.”

Briefly, Dr. Shephard exonerated the CSR Co. of blame for the impasse which oc curred in the Fiji sugar industry in 1943; and, neither did he recommend a change in the method of assessing the price of sugar-cane. The Indian growers found the Shephard report, generally, unpalat able and, after some preliminary skirm ishing/ it is now receiving further con sideration by a committee appointed by the Governor. A conference between Indiah growers began at Lautoka on September 23. So far no agreement has been reached.

The new “Indian Times,” in comment ing on the sugar siuation, says: “We hope that the future land policy will be so devised that it will ensure con tinuity and security of tenure, provide for the economic size of holdings, elimin ate speculation in price, premium- or rent but assist bona-fide dealings with land in order to encourage developments; throw open more lands required for the increasing population of the Colony with financial schemes and assistance for progressive developmen, so as to raise the standard of living and maintain it; prevent undue aggregation of land and when long-term leases expire to sub divide holdings for leasing directly to the occupiers or cultivators, and make it easy for everyone in need of land for residen tial. agricultural, dairying, or commer cial purposes, to obtain a lease expedi tiously.”