the Pihan^comm'un^
pp. 123-124 · Read in the full issue
Fijians’ Communal
System
Under New Fire
TAIRECT problems connected with U the extraordinary mcrease in Indian population, as compared with what would normally be the quite satisfactory growth m the Fiji population, are dealt with else wnere.
Here in Fiji I have found a new and very interesting angle of the problem under discussion by the more thoughtful section of the younger Europeans. They say quite frankly that the official policy, in relation to the Fijian, is wrong. The Fijian must be made to face up to
the competition of the modern world.
They say that the Fijian must (a) be encouraged, if not forced, to take a more active share in local self
the Pihan^comm'un^
system, the Fijians are to be shel tered from competition with other communities in the political sphere, they eventually will have very little S ay in the management of their country’s affairs.
Said one very competent observer, to whom I talked: “Economically, the Fijian is hamstrung by a corn munal system that removes all in centive to personal gain, and the social obligations of which make so many demands upon his time and labour that he has no hope of
competing against the Indian. Thu Indian is energetic and persevering and depends for his livelihood upon his earnings. The Fijian is going and improvident; his comr munity takes care of him, in aL circumstances.
“It is no use confining the Fijian to his native reserves and assuring him that the land is his for all timej It is his only for so long as he ii able, politically, to resist encroachr ment upon it; and is progressive enough, economically, to make full use of it.”
There is much significance in thiij move towards creating a nev politico-economic background foo
the Fijian.-