In Fiji

Local Government In Fiji Planning for the Future

AN enlarged system of local govern ment for Fiji was outlined in a re port submitted last year to the Fiji Government by Mr. Harold Cooper, before his transfer to West Africa. The plan is now under consideration.

The plan recently was briefly described by the Fiji Public Relations Officer, Mr.

Usher. We give the following extracts.

Local government in the Islands generally is now a subject receiving a great deal of attention.

There are three important communities in Fiji—the Fijians, who own the land; the Europeans, who direct the adminis tration and the principal industries; and the recently-arrived Indians, who have no place in Fiji as of right, but who already control most of the small trading organi sation, and a great deal of peasant agri culture.

Fijian natives already have a compre hensive system of local government in the councils that discuss the affairs of in dividual villages; the “tikina councils” that deal with the affairs of tikinas (or combinations of villages); the provincial councils, which consider the affairs of orovinces or combinations of tikinas; and in the administrative and judicial organi sation set up under the Fijian Affairs Ordinance.

Mr. Cooper’s report therefore deals primarily with areas of non-Fijian settle ment —although he looks forward to the eventual merging of all local government institutions into one Colony-wide svstem.

He proposes that Rural Areas, Urban Areas and Counties should be created.

Rural Areas would consist of suitable combinations of non-Fijian settlements, and he Quotes as examples the settle ments strung out along the Sabeto Valley, or those fringing Savusavu Bay. Each Rural Area would have a council of five members, all elected on a common roll, unless the Governor should choose to fill one or more seats by nomination, or to re serve them for candidates of one race.

Urban Areas would be centres of the type now known as townships, but with their boundaries somewhat enlarged. In each Urban Area there would be an Ur ban Council, consisting of three elected Indian members, three European mem

bers, either elected or nominated, and not moie than two additional nominated members.

Each Rural and Urban Council would nominate members to represent it on a County Council, on which there would also be up to three members nominated by the Governor, and from three to five Fijian members nominated by the Pro vince. Each County Council would have power to make by-laws for the whole County. It would also impose a basic rate, which would be supplemented by grants from the Central Government.

Mr. Cooper suggests some of the duties of the various Councils. They might pro vide schools, take measures to safeguard public health, provide dispensaries and child welfare facilities, maintain roads, markets, cemeteries and libraries, attend to the relief of distress, maintain the smaller water supplies, control parks and recreation grounds and community centres, and help in Urban and Regional planning.

The Councils, centres of community life in town and country areas, would be kept fully occupied.