Planter Versus Soldier

Fiji’s Economic Condition In Relation to Defence of NZ Letter to the Editor

I CERTAINLY did not wish to give the impression I was indulging in a smear campaign against New Zealand mili tary personnel stationed in Fiji; as everybody knows, they are a highly trained and efficient body of men," and are a credit to New Zealand. I was really referring to the early stages of the war, when certain “green” troops were quart ered in and around Suva.

Most of the officers and men of this small force knew nothing of tropical con ditions and its people, with the result that much harm was done, the reper cussions of which are still being felt. The undignified behaviour of some, and the inefficiency displayed by others, were matters for much unfavourable comment at the time.

The truth of my statement that the Fijians have nothing in common with Maoris and New Zealanders should be obvious for several reasons. One is that the great majority of Fijians are not sufficiently educated, and another is that they are not a very politically-minded race. The lack of universal secondary education for both sexes should be a warning, and a sufficient indication that too much must not be expected until Fijians are given more opportunities for higher education.

Progress in all educational matters must necessarily be slow, under the cir cumstances, and the time is certainly not appropriate for military training on a scale as visualised by the Authorities, and

now being so vigorously carried out by Colonel Pleasants and his staff.

If it is really found essential to have troops to make Fiji (or is it Suva?) a worth-while outer defence bastion for New Zealand then, as the Americans de monstrated, this could be achieved in a comparatively short period.

The Navy and Air Forces should be the Colony’s first consideration in defence ex penditure, and thus greatly improved harbour facilities and the creation of up to-date aerodromes and seaplane bases are urgently required. It appears to me that the Naval and Air Forces will always play the major roles in the event of hostilities in the Pacific but, as Colonel

Pleasants has pointed out, I am no strategist, and this is outside my pro vince.

What is not outside the Colonel’s pro vince, in spite of his declarations to the contrary, are the economic conditions in this Colony to-day and, in view of his letter, it is necessary to bring further facts to his notice, as well as to the atten tion of your readers.

IF the Fiji Islands are to make any real progress, and play an important part in the near future, then the Govern ment must expedite its unreasonably long-delayed programme of public works, and must devote considerably more attention to matters relating to the primary industries. Heavy taxation will only curb development unless the sub stantial revenue received therefrom is spent wisely and in the proper directions.

The coconut planters are not agreeable to further taxation at the present time

and are, in fact, unable to afford it even with the so-called high prices and a so called stabilised market. It is fantas tically unfair to expect Fijians and Euro peans engaged in copra production to bear the brunt of extra taxation to the tune of, say, up to £lOO,OOO per annum, as an additional contribution towards, Defence expenditure.

Have the Government and the Military Authorities explored every avenue and

found no solution whereby the Indian population of this Colony could contri bute their fair share in money—and, per haps, manpower—for Defence purposes?

Is it their determination to see the im portant coconut industry crippled and brought down to the miserable levels of the local banana and rice industries?

No big-scale development work of any nature has been undertaken on coconut plantations for 30 years or more, and,

unless the industry is given a chance very soon to replant old areas, and areas damaged by the severe hurricanes of 1943 and 1948, then the Colony’s output of copra and coconut oil products will steadily decline. Replanting would be a colossal undertaking.

In other parts of the British Empire, hundreds of millions of pounds are being spent to increase food production, in pre ference to little or nothing for Defence expenditure. Already, approximately £23,000,000, we are told, has gone down the drain on England’s Peanut Plan.

Britain’s and world’s need for vegetable oils is so enormous, however, that she will continue with the Scheme, but, we learn, the unhappy English taxpayer now becomes more unhappy every time he sees a peanut. Likewise, the unhappy Fiji taxpayer becomes even more unhappy every time he sees a colonel.

I am, etc.,

J. K. S. Borron.

Mago Is., Lau, 2/1/1950.