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Why Not Mountain Colleges For Fiji?

(Contributed)

Mr. F. Stansfield, lately Government Printer.

Trinidad. has been appointed Government Printer, Fiji. He is expected to arrive in the Colony about the end of June. Since the depar ture on leave last year of Mr. F. W. Smith, and his subsequent transfer to an African Colony, Mr. A. J. Elphick has been acting Government Printer, and during that time has done “a good job of work.” It is regretted that he was not given the substantive post which he certainly deserved on his past record, but this appoint ment unfortunately is made by the Colonial Office, not by the local Administration. —“Fiji Times,” March 4.

ONCE again we have an example of how unjustly the local man is treated when he is in line for the key job.

Surely someone in authority could have recommended the appointment of Mr.

Elphick to the post of Government Printer, in which capacity he has acted for the past year. The Colony then would save the cost of transporting the new appointee from Timbuctu, or wherever he is coming from, plus a sav ing in long overseas leave later on.

Surely the appointment of the local man would not have put Colonial Office policy out of gear.

Our new Governor has been accorded the usual warm welcome, which has its roots in an upsurge of hope that perhaps this Governor will leave some memorial behind him to mark his term of office. His Excellency has started off on the right foot by spending at least a few hours, and sometimes a whole day, in the main towns of Viti Levu, so he can see for himself how the other half lives.

e have heard how impressed he was w ith the possibilities of Nadarivatu, our only mountain resort. There is a rumourthat the place is to be rehabilitated for the use of tired colonists—but that probably means tired Government officials.

The writer can suggest a fitting and wor thy mark for Sir Brian to leave. It is incumbent on the Government to find more suitable sites for the Grammar Schools, at present in cramped and inadequate quarters, and there is no doubt that hundreds of thousands of pounds will have to be spent in the near future.

XT AD ARIVATU offers hundreds of acres breat tain air, bG rn&dG practically self supporting by having their own supply of milk, vegetables, fruit, eggs, etc.^ Local people would not then be burdened with the expense the S wrench that"this* united family life.

The scheme would need careful planning in the establishment of separate houses for each race, when the school day was finished. Preeston House would be or tor the European lads; Archibald (named after our part-European Member—good luck to him)—House would be for the part-Europeans; Sukanaivalu (in honour of our Fijian VC) House would be for the Fijians; and Gandhi House for the Indians. , AH races could school together and a?rang^d U whic C hTou!d o develon in these vnii'np -t ;fpr <: ; nride of race and pride of

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general conduct would be supervised by selected House Masters, and each race could thus preserve what is best in its way of life. Each race would eat separately

and have meals most suited to its taste.

For instance, the Fijians could have their native foods prepared in true native fashion, with a degree of culture enforced; the same with the Indian—separate caste cooks would have to be provided, as no Hindu will eat food handled by a Mahommedan.

Practical farming could be taught at first hand> and lectures given by agri cultural officers, so that the benefit of their University training and degrees could be passed on, instead of being buried in obscurity except when they can be

Stheffectolcal?^“Son“d

“Girls’ Grammar School could be

run Snstaila?^*withstLHupe^

vision aftpr school hours qnH q miqlifipri Matron in charge " “ qualified ~™ “ ™ B „ lm . i( Its a lovely dream, is it not.

T'O carry the idea further: When the A boys’ and girls’ are functioning properly, there is noth mg to prevent the inauguration of a South Seas University, to be recognised by the British Universities throughout the world.

Getting back to Nadarivatu and 'its potentialities: Some outside amenities would have to be provided to cater for the teachers. Perhaps Sir Hugh Ragg could be persuaded to complete his chaiS of hotels by erecting a modern hotel here, where be tun? encourage Mr. John Grant to build a picture theatre. As he naively puts it. ;Where «r Hugh builds a pub I follow with a movie show Local people would also be tdmpted to put up country homes at Nadarivatu, and have a change of climate from the low

lying areas, and thus recuperate without the heavy expense of going overseas.

Commercial houses in the Colony are concerned in maintaining properly trained staffs, which they have to import from overseas. Sometimes these prove mixed blessings. Why should they not be able to select promising girls and boys locally, and if necessary, see they get specialised training? With thfe establishment of a University in Fiji, sponsored by the Colonial Development Scheme, this grand little Island could mean more than a fly-

speck on the map of the world, EDITORIAL NOTE: One of the grimmest problems to-day facing the Fiji European on a fixed income is that of maintaining his position properly in the Colony, while providing adequately for the education and maintenance of his grow ing family in a cool country. His pro blem would be simplified if he could send his children to a good secondary school in one of Fiji’s cool districts. Fiji has several attractive cool areas—all neglected and undeveloped.