Racial Feeling Displayed in Newspaper

Indians Irritate Fijians

Racial Feeling Displayed in Newspaper Brawl

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Aug. 14.

FOR the first time in Fiji’s history, a triangular racial commotion has been raging (quite literally) in the English language press.

a European correspondent wrote that, with the world situation de teriorating daily and with India clearly moving towards pro-Communist “neu trality,” Indians in Fiji should be required to state which side they intended to back in the apparently approaching World War 111.

He said that those who were prepared to stand by the British Empire, knowing that their loyalty would be tested in war conditions, should be given all the advan tages available to Fijians, Europeans and, at present, Indians. Those who insisted that “Mother India” was always right, and must always come first, should be sent home.

Indian repercussions to this included the usual parade of such points as “the Indians alone have turned Fiji from a wilderness to a paradise” (first publicised by the Commissioner for the Government of India in Fiji); the extraordinary and quite untrue allegations that “hundreds of Indians have been driven off their lands;” and an array of historical in accuracies purporting to account for Indian non-Participation in and sabotag ing of the Colony’s war effort during World War 11.

On the sideline, Mr. H. Maurice Scott, MLC, a decorated RAF officer, had a brisk “open letter” session with a Tavua Indian; and he certainly pulled no punches.

BUT the main and continuing explosion was created by the same Tavua Indian’s remarkable conten

ition that “the Indians must stay in Fiji to protect their Fijian friends and see [that they do not get pushed about like [the natives of New Guinea.” i The full effects of this absurdity have [not yet been felt. It is still spreading out from Suva to the remoter Fijian villages 'and islands. What can be said now is that nothing in the post-war years has stirred such bitter, angry resentment among all sections of the Fijian popula tion.

In 1948, the reiterated Indian “claim” in the Legislative Council to co-trusteeship with the British over the Fijians was dismissed by the Fijians with contemp tuous amusement—and a Fijian leader’s comment: “Effrontery!” ! This time, the word “protection” has gone very deep, and the concentrated bitterness of a disdainful Fijian repu diation, published in the Fijian Times, has no precedent.

THE paper itself, refereeing the brawl with strict impartiality, was dragged in when Indians alleged that Fijian correspondence had been “inspired” if not actually fabricated by Europeans.

With an excusably wrathful note, the Fiji Times stated that the Fijian com batants had complied with all the re quirements of published correspondence, that the Fijian comment had been delivered personally, and that the paper itself, bv publishing the Fijian view in good faith, had automatically guaranteed authenticity. Dismissing the Indian sneers as “despicable slander,” the Fiji Times added that any signed accusations of editorial untruth or of fabricated cor respondence would be published on receipt and “dealt with in a suitable way.”

The newspaper published a Fijian con tribution which stated that any ideas along the “Little India of the Pacific” line, and any Indian attempt to displace full British authority in Fiji (presumably by way of manoeuvres to rearrange the Colony’s constitution, another of which was recently launched behind the scenes! would be rejected and resisted by the Fijians as a whole.

EARLIER, a Fijian had written: “We have not forgotten the slogan of India in 1942—‘India for the Indians: English-quit !’.”—and had added that if the Fijians ever said “Fiji for the Fijians; Indians —quit!” it would be because the Indians had “asked for it.”

This time, the unqualified version was tersely given with the statement that the Indians, in Fiji as in Africa, were causing endless trouble and were now making it clear that their sympathies, by way of the Republic of India, would go increasingly towards aggressive Asiatic Communism.

In reply to an Indian’s published query; “What about the English?” this Fijian replied: “The Fijians' sole allegiance is to the British Crown. We have never re gretted the ceding of these islands by our chiefs to the rule of British justice. The English language and the English way nave become part of our own way of life.

Why should we tell our friends to ‘quit’?”

There is little doubt that Asiatic propagandists will renresent the present showdown—which goes far beyond the wordy war in the press— as a ganging up of British imperialists and their Fijian satellites. The plain truth, however, is merely that the lid has been taken off by Indian inability or refusal to give the feelings of others the same tender care as snl politically-conscious Indians invariably demand for their own.

Aithough there has been no rush of recruits for Korea in Australia, recruit m8 ’ .^ as apparently brisk in the P-NG lerntory. in one day, in Port Moresby there were 40 volunteers, all but two oi them ex-servicemen.

A library of GOO books in 10 portable bookcases, assembled by the Australian Red Cross Libraries, recently loft, Sydney for hospitals in New Guinea. Wewak hospital will be the first to receive the books, then Rabaul, Samarai, Lae and then smaller centres where hospitals have been established.

The Fiji Director of Medical Services, Dr. J. M. Cruickshank, the Director of Education, Mr. H. Hayden, and thr Senior Agricultural Officer, Mr. B. E. V.

Parham, associate members of the Re search Council of the South Pacific Com mission, attended a meeting of the Coun cil in Sydney at the end of August.