Fiji SPCA Owns an Island
p. 91 · Read in the full issue
Island
From Our Own Correspondent
Suva, Jan. 20
[E Fiji Society for the Preven tion of Cruelty to Animals is probably the only organisation ;s kind that possesses an island, ist year the litle island of udrau, in Natewa Bay, Vanua i, was bequeathed to the ety by the late Mr. W. W. ?ht, of Vanua Levu. Although 11, the island is planted with l-quality coconuts and its copra nue is valuable. lere was a certain amount of ussion within the Society as to t to do about the property, le members thought that if it j sold the money could be used uild an animals’ clinic and dog ad on the site at Walu Bay, a, already promised by the eminent. Others wanted to ) the island and its copra nue. weral would-be purchasers were k off the mark with offers; and e were applicants who wanted [ease the island or to manage n behalf of the Society. How •, the SPCA will hold on to udrau. aunded at Lautoka five years by Mrs. Dunoon Kirk, the Fiji !A has had a hard battle against thy and the usually misinformed icism that assails almost every movement in Fiji, It has i kept going by a few tireless kers —European, Fijian and ian—and for the last four years had a measure of Government port as well as wide official aowledgment of the urgent need SPCA work throughout Fiji. r hile the Society’s propaganda been welcomed in schools of all is and notably in a number of ian schools, the worst apathy been found among educated partly-educated adults, pen antagonism has come nly from Indian people, many tvhom, for religious reasons, are osed to the taking of any form animal life and believe that it better to let an animal suffer irminably from disease or semi •vation than to have it pain ly destroyed. he SPCA’s central executive imittee comprises the Rev. H. W. gess (chairman); Mr. R. C. ms (vice-chairman); Mrs. E. ith (secretary); and Mr. R. Kay ;asurer). The headquarters is v at Suva, but active committees working at Lautoka and Ba. liss Violet Field, Secretary of the mg Women’s Methodist Mission, ted mission stations in Fiji ing January.