Government Backs

Down

Unfortunate Strike Sequel In Fiji

From a Special Correspondent

Lautoka, June 2.

X> EM ARK ABLE aspects of a strike which occurred in the Ra district is May direct attention to the national un dercurrents which are interfering with orderliness and good government in this Colony.

On Tuesday, May 24, the Ra Road Over seer refused to allow a truck to be sent 10 miles, to bring food for a party of 8 men. He pointed out that there was food growing at the Depot and there was a truck going out the following day, which could bring food on its return journey.

The men were not entitled to special con sideration, because they were supposed to have brought in with them, according to custom, sufficient supplies for a week.

On Tuesday, May 24, the Ra Road Over seer’s helpers, said to be a Communist, was instructed that the men could go and do what they liked, so long as they were back at 7 a.m. next day, to start work.

He passed this on as “Pack up your bed ding and return to your villages.”

On Wednesday morning, out of a mixed labour force of 61 Indians and Fijians, only 6 reported for work. The Overseer was informed by telephone from Lautoka, 68 miles away, that “your men are on strike.”

The District Engineer hurriedly investi gated. He learned that three Indian members of the striking road gang, during the night, had interviewed the Fijian village chiefs, and informed them that all Fijian labourers in the Sigatoka, Lautoka and Ba districts were to strike in the morning; and the chiefs were persuaded to authorise the men from their villages to cease work.

A WELL-KNOWN Indian political leader told the District Engineer that the three Indian agitators were not acting for the Union—he said that the Union wanted the labourers to return to work. As this put the three Indians “in wrong,” they were sacked by the Chief Engineer.

The labour force returned to work on Saturday morning, minus the three. But the same Overseer’s assistant again jumped into the picture, and ordered the men to cease work and go home. They obeyed.

Public Works men thereupon inter viewed the highest native authority, Roko Tui Ra, and he promised that the Fijians would return to work on Monday, with instructions to disregard the Indian mis chief-makers. This looked like a clear victory for law and order.

But, meanwhile, a hurriedly-called con ference, attended by the Governor, the Acting Government Secretary, the Com missioner of Labour and the Director of Public Works had decided that the three sacked Indians should be immediately re instated, pending an investigation. The Public Works Director fought against this, but was over-ruled. The decision was telephoned to Ba, and was obeyed by a reluctant staff.

So here we have another case of the Government displaying its ridiculous super-sensitiveness to Indian feelings.

Surely it might have had enough back bone to allow its officials on the spot to handle a situation that had been created by Indian cheekiness and mischief making. Such incidents only encourage a class' of men who are making conditions in this Colony more difficult. Everyone who knows the circumstances agrees that those three Indians should not have been reinstated.