At Suva

Coconut Planter Hits Hard

Case For Primary Producer In Relation To Taxation

CALLED upon to pay crippling income taxation for the year 1948, out of a 1949 income that has been reduced almost to vanishing point by the recent hurricane, Mr. James S. K. B. Borron, coconut planter, of Mago, Lau Islands, has let fly with both barrels at the Fiji Government, and has registered some shrewd hits.

“For the man on the land in Fiji there is no incentive taxation under the present system,” said Mr. Borron, to the Commis sioner of Inland Revenue, “and apparently no allowance whatever is made for the effect of a disastrous hurricane or drought. In New Guinea, for instance, there is no taxation on local earnings, and this does permit of plantation development—although, admittedly, the primary producer there is even more han dicapped by an even more unimaginative and unsympathetic administration.”

Mr. Borron points to the almost total lack of amenities in the Lau group. For what do they pay taxation? They have not even got dependable transport. The “firms” charge 41/3 per ton for shipments of general cargo (with BP ketches carry ing copra for 27/6); but the planters on Taveuni, only 70 miles away, enjoy rates that are much lower, because of a sub sidised shipping service. If there is no copra to pick up at Mago Island, the inter-island ships will not come, for long periods, with necessary mails and supplies.

Why, therefore (Mr. Borron quite

reasonably asks) should he, a food pro ducer in an isolated place, have to pay, in a post-hurricane year, the same rates

of taxation as are imposed on the traders and lawyers and “parasites” of the towns?

“In these days, when there is so much depressing news received per medium of the radio,” says Mr. Borron, “it is poor propaganda on the Fiji Government’s part to broadcast and keep on broadcasting about such things as (1) a Copra Export Tax; (2) reorganising the Colony’s ab surd defences; (3) a belated tuberculosis campaign and (4) of all things, the Land Deals Inquiry.

“The probabilities of further taxation has a demoralising influence upon primary producers. The upkeep of local military forces stationed in Viti Levu only is un necessary and is a pure waste of money and manpower.

“If officialdom is concerned about hostile Indians (and there is nothing as frighten ing as Red Indians, by the way) and the Indian question in general, then the answer is to quadruple the police force, vastly improve communications by land and sea and air, and use tougher political tactics.

“If War comes, what Fiji really would require—apart from more encouragement to primary producers to grow more food stuffs and to increase the output of sugar, copra and fruit—are bigger and better hospitals, modern harbour facilities and much more up-to-date aerodromes. There should be less emphasis on ditch-dfgging, barbed-wire entanglements, parades, route marches and flag-waving reminiscent of Boer War days.

“If New Zealand considers this part of the Pacific an outer defence bastion, then let that Socialist paradise provide the major portion of the enormous funds re quired to make Fiji a worthwhile bastion.

But, in the next war, I hope they send more dignified and efficient personnel, able to set a splendid example to a native race who are not only great fighters but

who are also a great people. The Fijians have really nothing in common with Maoris or New Zealanders.”

Mr. Borron insists that the Fijian and European planters of the Lau group, even under the recent copra prices, have not known real prosperity for 12 years—all the conditions are against them.

“The Government appears to be content to let matters rest indefinitely, and thus give little in return to the people of this district, in spite of their very substantial contributions to the general revenue of the Colony. Their struggle against weather factors, land deterioration, weed and insect pests, much higher main tenance costs, excessive transport charges and, for some, the increased taxation im posed in recent years, places them at a sorry disadvantage with other primary producers, and with the trading firms and oil crushers. These burdens, together with the rigours of a lonely and remote life, should surely induce the Government to make some drastic changes and afford some permanent relief.”

Miss Dorothy Armstrong and Mr. Keith Boyle have announced their engagement.

They will be married in Port Moresby early in 1950. Miss Armstrong is a pathologist in Port Moresby. Mr. Boyle is on the staff of the Australian Petroleum Coy.