Fiji Deplores
p. 86 · Read in the full issue
Australian
American Argument
Well-known captain j. Mullins of Suva, listening to radio news from Australia, has been stirred to indig nation by the indications that the arrival in Sydney of the South Seas Marine Products tuna cutter is regarded by the Australian Socialist politicians as a purely American enterprise.
He pointed out that the tuna clipper is registered in Suva as a British ship, with a full British crew. The man in charge, Mr. Hayward, is a Canadian.
Captain Mullins says that when Kings ford Smith first flew the Pacific, half of his crew of four were Australian, half American. Britain and United States have been closely related in international affairs. At one period of the World War 11, Australia directly appealed to America for help. Any politician who engenders ill feeling between Australians and Ameri cans is doing a great disservice.
If Australia discriminates against a Fiji ship, manned by Fijian people, Fiji should lose no time in discriminating against Australia for Australia sells to Fiji immensely more goods than she buys from the British Colony.
However, since Captain Mullins dis cussed this matter the argument seems to have been amicably settled between Mr.
Hayward and the politicians, and the tuna clipper will engage for six months in ex ploratory work in Australian waters.