amfordy

The Forthright Views of A Fijian Planter

Letter to the Editor

AS you are aware Civil Servants in

mpidTy rLng cllt oTuving. The cos!

of this increase will amount to approximately £70,000 per annum.

By a remarkable coincidence, the Governor-in-Council has now seen fit, in the face bf an overwhelming opposition from toouirrs n pecial to Copra tSx orTevy Sy"i n SHi SUm 0f £7 ° °°° aPPrOX - I need P ha?dly describe the feelings of ftence’ ji C r£e Fhf‘planter 1 ifreceMng roughly, hlff of the P worW parity value for his produce, and is contributing heavily through already existing direct and indirect taxation to the upkeep of the inefficient and overstaffed Fiji Gov- “urally, the spiralling prices and general inflation hit the nlanter more than the civil servant, who enjoys many concessions and perquisites.

In view of to-dav’s general inflation, the sum the Fiji planter receives for his copra is far from magnificent; and, because of this, it is deliberately dishonest and misleading for Sir Brian Freeston or any other Government spokesman, to talk of handsome copra prices, and to make a comoarison with pre-war copra prices, wVipH tVip of pvprvthino’ plsp wB.s in 1 1 everytnm ° eise was m Keeping.

THE native Fijian also is feeling this inflatory trend, and is—as recent articles in your magazine have quite rightly shown— having a tough struggle to make ends meet, with the soaring price of all native foodstuffs. and h now 3 he n ’wm n be heavily towards the perquisites, high salaries and numerous luxury trips overseas

enjoyed by our swollen army of civil Fiji already Pay existing income tax-inrei urn or which they only too often receive p ClS f„ there is no elec- , Ir ? the c°PJ; a ti^ 6 laid on or tricity, water °L„ s t p^ lta nl ori v,ic own ex- P l° v i d Matter? Anv roads that exYsfaff generally in a deplorable

amfordy

°f hu o^ s o ? f e^f° C , tor t 0 C ° Ver “ ”** AU of Fiji's amenities are centred in main no d o u bt for the benefit: of! who'contribute little but take much irom * D 153 e< rPCe ntlv held bv the Fiji ™u the preamble to in'- “mg ‘bis copra tgx wf Provided to an address by the Colonial A ter w fifal Si« mnttpr had not been J£g Affairs Board thev refer]red to the Fijian debate’

Co^l? iq ta nmrSete?v flummoxed the chair This c^P le 4dw a rd U p and moved ,^ h Q e^ n^ a^ p^ w n a f r< until the p ® JmSSnsfo? Legislative Council a n fd?ournment of half an hour A^ r thp p m]nr ii re consider this mcittGr, tnc oou assembled and, in a venomous way, the Fijians were publicly reprimanded from the chair. , , However, in view of pressure brought toliear H f TrJdi the Council Pean Mid of the Cou c th t r^ at a dloummenf was Iccepted F J — the adjournment was accepted.

T CONSIDER this was a deplorable and x uncalled-for attack by the Goyern ment on the Fijian members of ooun

cii, and a reflection on an extremely loyal and likeable folk who have always given more than willingly to everything the Government has recommended to them and whose efforts and contributions during the war should not be forgotten.

The Fijians produce 60 per cent, of Fiji’s copra, and they have shown ex cellent good sense in trying to resist this impudent and brazen grab by the Socialist powers in office. With so much unrest and disaffection among our colonial people, it would pay Sir Brian Freeston and his advisers to consider well before antagonizing the decent and loyal Fijians by an unjust imposition.

The Fijians—unlike the Europeans and Indians, who have a franchise of sorts — are denied much voice in the control of their affairs and are consequently mulcted of much. Why drive them too far?

During the pre-war depression, the Fiji sugar industry was subsidised; but not a penny of relief was granted to the copra industry. Now, when extra revenue is required for our top heavy administration, discretion is playing the better part of Sir Brian Freeston’s valour, and he has chosen the more gullible and less vocif erous European and Fijian copra produ cers for his “grab,” rather than the more politically-minded Indian sugar produ cers.

Every Governor of Fiji ha-s the duty of protecting and respecting the wishes of the Fijian neople, and every Governor has found them to be most reasonable in their wishes.

Sir Brian Freeston is seemingly una ware of some of his major obligations, Here, in our Governor, we want the correct well-balanced views of the British Colonial Service, rather than actions which savour of arrogance and socialism A better appreciation of his people’s wel fare. and less use of his dictatorial power, would be appreciated.

Gathavula Estate, I am, eto.,

Taveuni. 20/12/1950.

C. J. T. Krone

While fishing recently in deep water ofl Faelolo airport, a Samoan fisherman, lele of Apolima island, was attacked in the water and severely mauled by a shark just as he climbed into his canoe. He was taken to Apia Hospital where it was found necessary to amputate his injured leg After a blood transfusion he is now out of danger.