Fijians Growing

Individualism A Headache for Rehabilitation Board

Suva, Feb. 15.

THE Rehabilitation Board of Fiji (whose function is to assist, finan cially and in an advisory capacity, the return of the ex-Serviceman to civilian life) is having a certain amount of trouble with the applications of some Fijians.

The majority, of course, simply want to go back to communal life; but others, havihg learned some of the joys of in dividualism, do not, and wish to branch out as large-scale farmers or go into business. The problem is complicated by the fact that under the Native Deal ings Ordinance the recoverable debt from a Fijian is limited to £2O. In the past, business ventures by Fijians have almost all been failures due to the fact that the would-be business man could not escape communal obligations. It is equally as difficult for the Fijian to branch out as a farmer —an almost insuperable prob lem is the communal ownership of Fijian land.

So far. the Board has given 70 men a free issue of tools of trade. During the month of January five grants of money were made for educational pur poses; four loans were granted for the establishment of businesses, and one for a farm. Six applications for aid were deferred and two were refused.