For Fiji
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Elected Town Councils For Fiji Result Largely in Indian Hands
SUVA, March 4.
IN mid-February, and just after Legis lative Council had adjourned, the Government circulated its Municipal Corporations Bill, which “provides for the incorporation and government of cities and towns.”
The Bill’s implications are considerable, and an advance on our present municipal set-up. By and large the Bill is a tricky piece of legislation, about which the Gov ernment itself may have qualms, as in dicated by the fact that it withheld the Bill until Legislative Council had dis persed.
What the Bill proposes is merely fun damental municipal democracy: It en trusts ratepayers 'with the administration of their own towns. This is no generous gesture or flash of administrative genius.
It is merely a reluctant surrender to public pressure and a belated withdrawal of official interference in local govern ment.
HERE in Suva for a decade, municipal control has been both impossible and absurd. Since January 1, 1936, there has been a wholly Government-nominated Town Board consisting of a chairman, six or seven civil servants, and two Euro pean and two Indian business men.
The Civil Service members, continually changing, have been reluctant to serve, regarding their duties merely as extra unpaid work; rarely, if ever, have they been ratepayers. The chairman, untiring in his efforts, has consequently had to work with an ill-constituted Board, which was not responsible to the public and in whom the public, consequently, has never had any confidence. The results are an undeveloped town and a lack of civic pride on the part of its residents.
For towns of the size of Suva and Lautoka the new Bill proposes a Coun cil of twelve, of whom ten will be elected, and two nominated by the Government.
The councillors will elect their own Mayor, who is to receive out of town funds an annual entertainment allowance not ex ceeding £lOO.
In a sentence the proposed change means public elections and a direct re sponsibility by the Council to the public.
AN all-important result of the proposed set-up is that, in Suva as well as in all other towns in the Colony, the Indian population will possess a majority vote, and so will be able to elect its own Council. Local opinion, except amongst the old die-hards, is that this is nothing either to fear or worry about. The Indian politician may find it easy to sway the mass of illiterate Indian peasant farmers, but the urban Indian business man or householder thinks for himself.
He will be as keen as any European in getting the best Council he can, irre spective of race, and he will be as ready to elect a capable European as an Indian.
After a residence in the Colony of half a century, Mr. and Mrs. J. T. John son left Suva, Fiji, bv the Matson liner “Lurline” on March 8. They will make their home in Australia. Both are very well known in Fiji, where they have in terested themselves in social and patrio tic work. Mr. Johnson has been secretary and treasurer of the Suva Agricultural Show from its Inception, and his work on its behalf will be greatly missed.