[?]he Position of the Fiji-Indian

Ditorial Comment

kLD observers of the Fiji problem " were intrigued by the moves and iunter-moves which attended the bate and acceptance by the Legis tive Council of the motion: “That w Council urges that a Commission Inquiry from the United Kingdom appointed forthwith to inquire into d advise as to what steps should taken to ensure that this Colony ll not suffer from over-population the detriment of the standard of ing of all races in the Colony”

The resolution hurts no racial feel ?s. It allows the new Governor— -10 is eager to contribute something irthwhile to the solution of this in sasingly difficult problem—to place i problem just where it belongs— mely, in the lap of the British Gov iment. Fiji, alone, cannot find a iution. Fiji’s headache is merely part of the major problem of what to be done with the large Indian lonies that have been planted in itish and French territories all sund the Indian Ocean. Before Fiji

can decide upon a policy, certain fundamental principles should be agreed upon as between London and Delhi, affecting conditions in such places as Mauritius, Natal, Uganda, and Madagascar.

The verbiage of Mr. Scott’s motion suggests that it was hurriedly framed —probably to meet a situation created by the Fijians’ determination that

this racial problem should no longer be ignored by the Government.

Raviama Vimivalu had had prepared, for the Council, a motion that was directed specifically at the Indian threat to the future of the Fijians; and the more belligerent of the younger Fijians were all for it. But wise old Lala Sukuna said that the time was not ripe for an outright

jchallenge to the Indians, which might precipitate inter-racial brawling be fore the Government had a chance lo deal with the bigger issues on the

highest level.

Maurice Scott's motion was then introduced; and all races accepted it, wth relief, as a sort of compromise, md a postponement of petty fighting. rHE debate had an air of unreality.

Everyone avoided direct refer mce to the threat implicit in the apid increase of Fiji’s Indians and Chinese; yet everyone knew that, if his increase continues at the rate the last decade, the Fijian race is loomed. The Fijians frankly re ognise the menace, but—probably in leference to the new Governor—they leld their feelings in check.

Harold Gatty’s stand against the lotion was not as unreasonable as ome would suggest. All history hows that, in such crises of popula bn, Nature does almost always take t hand and provide a solution. The Dlution here probably will come trough the younger, or Fiji-born adians, by natural rather than de berate birth-control. But a frank nd open official inquiry into the hole situation will assist rather than stard this process.

Mr. Jannifs advocacy of birth- Mitrol, at this Council session, was

a remarkable development; and it is even more interesting to learn that, since the event, he has received many letters from younger Indians, sup porting his stand, and explaining that, in order to improve their living con ditions and properly train and educate their children, they are strongly in favour of smaller families. One is encouraged to hope that Jannifs speech points the way to future co operation between the younger Indians and the Government, and a repudiation of the unhelpful attitude of the older brigade. The latter was represented by Mr. Vishnu Deo, who opposed Jannif. But that might have happened, anyhow. They are old political enemies, if only on Hindu- Moslem grounds Up to late December, there had been no comment from the Roman Catholic authorities, who officially oppose birth-control. Developments here should be interesting. The in

fluence of the Church is great; but that Church always is realist—and the Fiji problem surely calls for realism.

AN old friend in Fiji writes: “As I have said to you before, there is a good deal of personal friendship and goodwill between the races in Fiji, and I think that that must be the basis on which the country’s future is to be built. If Indians will voluntarily cut down their population growth that will be a contribution of immeasurable value, because it will lessen the threat to Fijian ownership of land and make the Indians’ economic future more secure. ... A vicious influence at work is racial hatred, which finds particular ex pression in the Pacific Review and other Indian papers published in the Lautoka-Nadi area.”

We have for some time noted the quality of the comment in some of

the Fijian-lndian newspapers. De finitely, it is not helpful—in fact, much of it tends to build up, among influential non-Indians, the conviction that the only way to ensure the future safety of Fiji is to root the whole Indian community out of the Colony.

An example is a weekly column in

one of these newspapers by someone calling himself “Ratu Beachcomber” —probably a decadent European. It is supposed to be a funny column, but the humour is so infantile in char acter as to be embarrassing to the average adult reader; and it is flavoured by a thoroughly nasty

colour antagonism.

There is urgent need in Fiji for well-conducted newspaper for tl educated section of the Fiji-bo Indians, now increasing both in nui bers and influence. The latter appe to be anxious to break away fro the influence of their old leaders, wl so callously betrayed them into anti-British situation during the Pad.

War, and thus compromised th( future: and they now seek better i struction and more competent dire tion. y The Scott motion on Fiji popu tion will have achieved someth! worthwhile if the British Governme takes the opportunity to deal, on t highest level, with the problem Indian implantations in Briti countries. But if it merely brie some retired officials and anthi pological theorists out on a Sou Seas holiday, to produce endl< talking and a vast printed report, will not have brought the Fiji pi blem any nearer practical solutioi Mrs. Stan McCosker with her t> daughters recently left Brisbane f Rabaul, where she will spend soi weeks on Matila, the family planl tion.