Township Boards
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
No "Common Roll"
For Fiji
The Government Amends the
Municipal Corporations Bill
rE Bill to reconstitute the Towv Boards of the Colony, which ws published in draft form by till local Public Relations Office last Nov ember, will not now come up before tM Legislative Council until next sessioc (November), if then.
It was proposed in the draft Bill ths all but two of the members of munii cipal corporations should be elected (in stead of nominated, as at present) air that all persons over 21 who were les; sees, owners or occupiers of rateable pro perty (and who could read, write arc speak English) should have a vote. Thu meant, of course, that the Indian conn munity which now outnumbers all othen would have the dominant voice in run ning these Town Boards, and on thi account there have been many objection to the new Bill, particularly from thi European Electors’ Association.
The Association lost no time in in forming the Government that it mean to oppose the proposals and that ii “uncompromising stand” was for mum cipal councils, elected on a communii racial basis.
It appears that the Electors have wco the day. At the opening of the curren session of Legislative Council. th Governor told members that it had be© decided to scrap the common-roll, s suggested in the draft Bill last Novem ber, and substitute a communal ro system under which people of the van ous communities would elect their ow representatives to the municipal cot porations. This follows the principle af ready in operation in the Colony witi regard to the Legislative Council. He:e European members are elected by Eurr pean voters and Indian members If Indian voters.