Governor Surprised

Quick Transfer From Fiji To Hongkong

RARELY has the Chief Executive taken his departure from Fiji under con ditions of such surprise and un certainty as attended the departure of Sir Alexander Grantham from Suva last month.

In the middle of March, the Governor said farewell to his Legislative Council.

Travelling by air, he was to overtake Lady Grantham in the United States — she had left a week earlier —and they would spend some four months’ leave in Europe. But, said His Excellency, they both would return eagerly to re sume their important tasks in Fiji.

Four or five days later, the people were astounded to learn that Sir Alex ander had been appointed Governor of Hongkong, and would not be returning.

Sir Alexander himself then explained.

He said that, 48 hours after he spoke to the Council, he had received advice of his proposed appointment to Hongkong.

It was totally unexpected, and he was most reluctant to go; but the message from Whitehall was so peremptory in character that he could do nothing but accept.

The Governor added that the change caused Lady Grantham and himself great personal inconvenience—they had made all their arrangements in the belief that they soon would be back in Suva. Now they would have to go from England to Hong kong.

Lady Grantham cabled from America her deep personal regret that she would not be returning, and asking her many friends in Fiji to forgive her for her inability to say “Goodbye” to them.

Sir Alexander left Suva on March 24.

He attended official functions at the Queen Victoria School, at Davuilevu, and at Lautoka, before joining the Trans pacific plane at Nadi.

The Colonial Secretary, Mr. J. F. Nicoll, CMG, flew from Nausori to Nadi to say farewell to the Governor, On March 27, Mr. Nicoll was sworn in as Acting-Gov ernor; and the Financial Secretary, Cap tain A. W. Robertson, was appointed to act as Colonial Secretary. The Acting- Governor left on April 1, on an official visit to the Lau Islands and Kadavu.

The hope has been expressed in Fiji that the permanent appointment of Gov ernor may go to Mr. Nicoll, who is held in high regard in the Colony. That de velopment is unlikely, however —rarely, it ever, is a Colonial Secretary raised to the rank of Governor in the same Colony.

As he goes up in grade, he moves to another Colony.

Since 1936, when Sir Murchison Fletcher departed, Fiji has had four governors— namely:— 1936-38 Sir Arthur Richards; 1938-42 Sir Harry Luke; 1942-44 Major-General Sir Philip Mitchell; 1944-47 Sir Alexander Grantham.

Pour governors in ten years does not make for continuity of policy. Before that, from 1874 to 1936, Fiji had 14 governors in 62 years. (For “Appointment of Fiji Governor to Hongkong,” see page 23).

In recognition of his services in the development of mining and ore treat ment in Australia and New Guinea, Mr.

Alexander Kruttschnitt, chairman of directors of Mt. Isa Mines, Ltd. (Q’ld.), and New Guinea Goldfields Ltd., has been awarded the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Medal for 1946.