Extended

Protection of Fiji Lands Extended

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, September 27.

THE Native Land Trust Amendment Bill caused a brisk debate in the Fiji Legislative Council during the Sep tember session. This Bill is designed to bring the mortgaging of Fijian land held under lease within the control of the Native Land Trust Board, which already controls other dealings in leaseholds.

The Director of Lands (Mr. W. H. B.

Buckhurst) told the Council that one of the primary aims of the proposed legis lation was to protect over-exploitation of and damage to Fijian land.

“The best native land in the Colony, aggregating about 300.000 acres, is already leased and must be protected from the evils resulting from reckless borrowers and wilful lenders.” he said.

Up rose the Indian opposition, plus one European member (Mr. H. Maurice Scott) to contend that the proposal would in terfere with the rights of leaseholders, including those who had erected build ings and established plantations.

The Bill was referred to a select com mittee, which suggested a compromise plan giving the Government all it wanted in the way of protection of Fijian lands but permitting the lessee of a residential or commercial lease granted prior to the ordinance, to mortgage his lease.

This was adopted and the Bill went th O°ther' legislation of particular interest dealt with in this session was the in troduction of third party insurance for motor vehicle drivers.

Mr. E. G. Theodore, head of the Em porer and Loloma Gold Mines, of .Fiji, who returned to Sydney from Fiji m August, suffering from illness is now im proved in health, but is still under the care of his doctor.