Enter Fiji
p. 41 · Read in the full issue
Permits Necessary to Enter Fiji New Immigration Bill For Legislative Council
Suva, Sep. 23.
ANEW Immigration Bill, to be pre sented at the next session of Fiji’s Legislative Council, has been pub lished.
It will in future be an offence for any persons to whom the Bill applies to enter the Colony without a permit, which may be a transit permit for passengers in transit, a resident’s nermit for persons in tending to stay more than 12 months, or a visitors permit valid for 12 months.
Certain classes of persons are exempted from the provisions of the Bill. These include British subjects born or domi ciled in Fiji.
The Bill provides that the Governor shall have power to exempt visitors or any class of visitors from the necessity for obtaining a permit.
The Principal Immigration Officer is given complete discretion, subject to the direction of the Governor, as to whether or not permits will be issued. (Editorial Note: Before the war, in order to enter Fiji it was necessary to have a valid Passport and one’s return fare. During the war it was necessary to have special permission—a permit. Per mits were, however, discontinued soon after hostilities ceased. Now, apparently, they are to be re-introduced. The pas sion for all Governments for more and more restrictions, dressed up as “permits,” ‘regulations,” and “controls,” is extra ordinary. It would be interesting to know what benefit the Colony of Fiji will de rive from the issuing of such “permits to enter,” Presumably the new Bill is not designed to simplify travel.)
The Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev. H. W. K. Mowll, and a Fijian Methodist minister, the Rev. Setariki Tuilovoni, were among the delegates at the International Missionary Council’s recent meeting at Whitby, Ontario, Canada. When the Archbishop passed through Fiji in early September on his way back to Sydney, he spoke warmly of the excellent impression created at the conference by the Fijian minister and his work. The Rev. Setariki Tuilovoni
later went to England at the request of the World Sunday School Association to attend a conference at Birmingham, and he is now lecturing in the United States in association with the American Method ist Missionary Society. He expects to re turn to Fiji in November.
Mr. F. E. M. Warner, at present at tached to the Registrar-General’s De partment. Suva, Fiji, has now been ap pointed Marketing Officer with the local Agriculture Department.