Fiji's Sugar Levy

Indian Protest Against Fiji's Sugar Levy Tax On Fiji Copra Forecast

W{HEN the Government indicated the continuance of the export levy of 10/- a ton on sugar (divided be tween the cane-farmers and the proces sors in the ratio of 40 to 60), five Indian members of the Legislative Council of Fiji figuratively raised their ten hands in horror and proceeded to declaim at length upon this iniquity.

However, nobody else seemed to regard it as such and the motion went through serenely.

Many months ago a prediction was made that when the British Government granted a rise in the price of sugar, on condition part of the increase was used as a stabilisation fund, the deduc tion would be denounced by the Indians through the years as a shameless theft from the pockets of the exploited. It has been, is being, and will be denounced as foretold.

An Indian endeavour to show that the Government is more or less bleeding the sugarcane-growers and is simultaneously nursing the copra-producers unfairly was given short shrift in Council.

IN his opening address the Governor had said that in view of the fact that in the last 12 months the price of copra had risen from under £33 to nearly £5O a ton, and in view of the further fact that the Government was negotiating with London for a price guarantee for 10, 15 or 20 years, the Government in tended, this year, to introduce a measure to divert to public uses “some portion of the very handsome profits which are at present being derived by the copra pro ducer, European and Fijian, from the distresses of the outside world.”

Which, considering that the Indian cane-growers were reasonably secure in the days when copra was down and out, did not leave the Indian complaint about sugar much of a leg to stand on.