jian Development Fund

Growing Fast

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Suva. Jan. 21.

E Fijian Development Fund Board, set up last year to operate the Fijian development me, started operations on ist 1. the end of December the d’s revenue totalled £66,747. isigned primarily to raise the g standard of the 50,000 Fijian le in the copra-producing areas, scheme was put before the dative Council by its principal ilect, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, after some scurries of opposi mainly in European com :ial quarters, was passed timously. ie fund is made up of compul deductions of not more than a ton from the purchase price >pra produced by Fijians. Ratu Lala said that the object was ibtain for the Fijian community s lasting benefit out of the high s being paid for commodities, oring the marketing of all omically important native uce under one control, to gain a better bargaining posi in business transactions, and elp the village communities to ge from the state of sole re e on subsistence economy.” . payments to the fund are ted to the person or body ng the payment and bear in t at 2 per cent. Withdrawals be made only with the consent le administering Board for an oved purpose. e Board’s object is to ensure in the first instance the rs of the fund provide them s with better houses, healthier orighter surroundings, and good sufficient water supplies. ians produce nearly two-thirds e Colony’s copra—nearly 30.000 a year, worth about £1,500,000.