Compared

Administrations Compared Some Praise For Fiji

ON a recent survey of the British terri tories in the Southwest Pacific, the author formed the view that official insight into the operative problems of modern colonial administrations was much more advanced in Fiji than else where.

Papua-New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands and the other British de pendencies have much to learn from Fiji, where there is administrative know ledge, perception and skill of a high order.

The requirements (and the inevitable limitations) of native administration, and of agricultural, medical and social service policy have been reviewed by the govern ment of Fiji in a series of inquiries which rank among the best of their kind. The methods of administration control might well be studied, to great advantage, by other administrations, particularly those of Papua-New Guinea and Samoa.

But is is necessary to note at the same time that not even in Fiji, and certainly not in the other British Pacific posses sions, is there any indication of a meth odical plan, giving much prospect of success, for the economic development of the indigenous natives. The attack on the problems of colonial poverty, through the controlled change of their social structure, within the limits imposed by the democratic tradition, is still the most baffling problem of social engineering with which the administrations have to deal. —From “The Crown Colonist.”

While in Auckland, the visiting Fiji cricketers were entertained by the re cently formed Viti Social Club.