New Regulations Cover Fijian

Affairs

Suva, Sep. 29

THE Native Regulations which had been in operation (with frequent amend ments) since shortly after the ces sion of Fiji to Britain were completely overhauled in the session of Fiji Legis lative Council just ended. The new Fijian Affairs Regulations, which will replace the Native Regulations, were introduced by Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna and received the unanimous approval of the Council.

Among other amendments introduced in the new regulations is that pertaining to the election of Fijian Provincial Councils, and the selection of unofficial represen tatives to the Council of Chiefs. This will now be by secret ballot (a system used by the Council of Chiefs for the past 25 years for selection of names to be submitted to the Governor who chooses five Fijian members of the Legislative Council). The same system will in future, apply to the selection of unofficial mem bers to Provincial Councils by Tikina Councils; and the selection of members of the Tikina Councils by Chiefs and Turaga-ni-Koro.* Another innovation is the provision of an unofficial majority in each of the Councils—the aim being to allow greater scope for individualism.

All Fijians have certain community obligations, which were compared, by Sir Lala, to the payment of rates for essen tial services received in a European com munity.

Under the Regulations the social services required from Fijians are;— • Making and maintaining unpro claimed roads. These include inter village tracks which only Fijians use and certain roads which all members of the community use. For the maintenance of the latter, payment is made by the Gov ernment. • Building and repairing houses. • Planting and upkeep of food crops. • Supplying Fijian visitors with food. • Transporting Fijian Administration officials when travelling on official duty. • Assisting in surveys of native land boundaries where such land is the subject of inquiry under Native Land (Native Re serves) Regulations. • Conveying of sick persons. • Carrying Fijian Administration letters or messages.

ANEW principle has been introduced in the carrying out of these services, however. Villagers who are now gainfully employed on their own account or living outside the village community may pay £1 in substitution for the ser vices which they owe their particular community. Those employed in periodic jobs of an essential nature, for example the punting of bananas, may pay a rate of 1/- per day for the actual social ser vice they missed.

"“Fijian villages are grouped to form Tikina, which in turn are grouped to form Provinces.

The headman of a village is called a turaga-ni koro; the Fijian Administrative head of a Tikina is called a buli. The head of a Province, a roko.