Speculation About New

Governor for Fiji

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Aug. 27.

IT is expected that the retiring governor, Sir Brian Freeston, with Lady Freeston, will leave Fiji on September 12.

After leave, he will take up his new appointment as Secretary- General of the South Pacific Com mission early in the New Year, whereupon, it is expected, the ap pointment of a new Fiji Governor will be announced. Just who this is to be is a matter of some specu lation in the Colony at present.

Men whose names are mentioned either hopefully or speculatively include Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, (present Secretary of Fijian Af fairs); Sir Ronald Garvey, at pre sent Governor of British Honduras, who had a fine administrative re cord in the South Pacific; Mr. J. F.

Nicoll, who was Government Sec retary in Fiji until transferred to Hong Kong a couple of years ago; and, a new favourite, Right Hon.

John Dug dale.

It is pointed out that Mr. Dug dale cannot hope to be a Minister of the Crown for longer than the next British general elections and it is concluded that, being a smart man, he therefore came out to Fiji to see if he would care to be its next Governor.

Each of three first-mentioned “possibles” have their champions and detractors. But no one seems to want Mr. John Dugdale.

It is unusual for the Colonial Office to make such appointments outside the Colonial Service —but there have been exceptions, usually unfortunate. Baldwin, of British West Indies, was a notable case in point.