Increased Rents

Indians Protest About Increased Rents

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, Sept. 23, INDIAN politicians in Fiji, like Indian canefarmers’ organisa tions, for many weeks have been gun ning for the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. on the issue of increased rents to be paid to the Co. for land leased by the Co. from Fijian owners through the Native Land Trust Board.

It has been pointed out that the Indians avoid quoting the actual figures of trifling rents paid for many years. They will not admit that an increase of 100 per cent, or more m almost any case would still mean in absurdly low return for the jwners of the land—and most of :he increases are nowhere near 100 ser cent.

It is also not admitted that one of he main reasons for the current igitation against the CSR Co. as sub essee is that the Co. firmly insists, n the interests of the Indian far ners as well as of the Fijian owners, hat the land be properly cared for.

Jome Indians work land to death md then demand fresh land while he derelict property goes back to he owners.

The brightest spot in the current ession of the Legislative Council ►ccurred when, among a deluge of ndian questions about land and ents, a series of markedly anti-CSR :o. queries was, through a printing nishap, attributed to a European nember, Mr. H. Maurice Scott, in tead of to the Indian inquirer, Mr. . Madhavan. It took a Govern ment explanation to smooth things ver.