Rule-by-Regulotion
pp. 17-18 · Read in the full issue
Fiji Refuses Rule-by-Regulotion Fight Against High-handed Government Action
rE abhorrence of Fiji residents for continued rule-by-Regulation was demonstrated between February 4 (when new Price Order Regulations were suddenly announced) and February 12 (when they were as hastily withdrawn).
The Prices of Goods Ordinance, 1940, under which price control in the Colony has ©Derated, exoired in February. Fiji residents generally are agreed that some measure of nrice control should continue, but they did object to having a com pletely new set of Orders sprung on them —not as an amendment to the old Ordinance, which would have had to be debated in Legislative Council, but as an Order-in-Council, to be known as the Price Control Regulations, 1946, which was the pure, unadulterated product of the Government machine in which the public had no voice.
The new Regulations gave the Price Controller (Mr. R. W. Parkinson) almost unlimited nowers—some of which he had asked for under the old Ordinance, and had been refused —and virtually did away with the services of the Central Price Control Committee, which had been set up in November, 1942, to assist the Con troller in an advisory capacity.
They gave the Controller even greater powers than the police, in that he could require a person to answer any question at any time, even if that answer should be incriminating; and he was permitted to administer an oath to any person if he required to force a statement which he could later use in Court. Briefly, as the secretary of the European Electors’
Association (Mr. Roy Barnsfather) stated, it gave to the Controller, in peacetime, powers which had been refused him in war.
During the eight days between the pub lication of the Regulations in the Gov ernment “Gazette,” and its withdrawal, Fiji residents seethed with resentment.
Five members of the Central Price Control Committee (Messrs. C. W. Aidney, L. C. Bentley. R. A. Crompton, K. R.
Sands and J. Trotter) resigned “en bloc” (resignations were withdrawn after the Government backed down on February 12); the Chamber of Commerce arranged a protest meeting, and the European Electors’ Association registered vigorous
protests.
On February 12, the Government made the following announcement;— “In view of the objections which have been made to the proposal to control prices by the Price Control Regulations, 1946, of February 4, 1946, which were to come into force on February 15, this Order has now been withdrawn. It has been decided that a new Prices of Goods Bill will be presented to Legislative Coun cil at an early session.”
It was further announced that in the interval between the expiry of the old Ordinance and the preparation of the new Bill, for Legislative Council, price control would be effected by other Regu lations made under the Supply and Ser vices (Transitional Powers) Act, 1945, of the United Kingdom.
EDITORIAL NOTE.—It is to be hoped that, some day, we shall have the “inside story” of this extraordinary attempt to put a bureaucratic muzzle upon the people of Fiji. The “Regulations,” by their character and by their lofty dis regard of the liberty of the individual, Ward in Canberra or Mr. Stalin in Mos might have been framed by Mr. Eddie
cow, instead of by a presumably British official in Suva. Australians are becom ing accustomed to the gradual filching of their individual freedom, and have little kick left. But by what process of post war reasoning did the 'Colonial Office officials imagine that the people of Fiji would accept a monstrous plan of that kind? Whose plan was it, anyway?
Fiji should be giving a lead to the in dividualist communities of the South Pacific, by getting rid of their Price Con trol machinery, instead of devising new muzzles for the people.
During 1945 New Caledonian imports were valued at 436,084,000 francs and exports at 178,610,000 francs. Much of the excess of imports over exports was on account of goods imported to satisfy the demand of American troops stationed in the Colony, who at one time numbered 150.000. Caledonia received goods to the value of 208,337,000 francs from the United States; to the value of 207,684,000 francs from Australia; and from French Colonies to the value of 5,114,000 francs.
Imports from France and from other countries was negligible. Exports to the USA were valued at 139,212,000 francs; to Australia 5,638,000; and to France 32.548.000.