The Royal Visit In Retrospect

From Our Suva Correspondent.

irHEN the Queen and the Duke f of Edinburgh left Laucala Bay for Tonga and New Zealand on ecember 19, Fiji, in a state border g on emotional exhaustion, quietly ithdrew into a sort of hibernation, hristmas and the New Year have issed, and practically nothing has ippened.

Despite some agitation in one or 10 Australian newspapers, the oyal visit to Fiji was a time of un

loyed happiness—and a letter

om the Queen’s Private Secretary the Governor makes it clear that ie only regret for the Queen and ie Duke was that their time in Fiji is so short.

The allegation in a Sydney paper iat the State ball at Suva was a lop” because the Queen was tired it, and slipped away by a side door fore the scheduled time of de trture, was so far from the truth ,at it provoked an official letter of otest to the journal concerned, id a great deal of angry comment aong Europeans and Fijians, who Iped to make the ball, and the in sdibly beautiful scene, during the >yal balcony appearance, probably e outstanding incident of its kind the Queen’s journey across the icific.

European Bad Manners

IF there was anything regrettable about the State ball, it was the lack of elementary good manners on the part of some Euro pean guests, who stared unremit tingly at the Queen from close quarters; and a number who, after the Queen’s departure, caused dis gust among many people by their behaviour at supper. No Fijians or Indians at the ball were guilty of any kind of bad manners—the cul prits were a minority group of Euro peans whose vulgarity suggested that they should never have been invited to that function.

Overall Organisation

NOW that it is possible to get the great event into proper pers pective, it appears that, while Suva scored heavily with good organisation and the matchless pageantry of the Fijian ceremonies of welcome, and the quiet charm of the afternoon at the park-like Adi Cakobau School at Sawani, Lauto ka’s comparative lack of formality and its spontaneous welling-up of happy excitement lent a balance that drew from the Queen at Lau toka the now-famous comment: “It has been a lovely day.” (Over)

It is easy to be wise after til event. But, before the Royal vis:, critics were pointing out that Suvs rigid determination to hold ever thing in full check—from pubi transport near the centre of tl city to the emotion of the tens thousands in the streets—went little too far.

The population of Suva on D* cember 17 is estimated at well ov 100,000, and the influx was predon inantly Fijian. But the events ■ the two days proved that no Fijis crowd would let itself be carrie away in the presence of Royalt On the other hand, there can I such a thing as too much restrain and it was the relaxing of restraii at the proper time that pleased tU Queen and the Duke at Lautoka.

In the final summing-up this our only small regret—that to tM Royal visitors, fresh from the di lirious welcome of Panama, Suva obviously sincere first welcome ma have seemed a little constraine: Nevertheless, it was a triumph ; planning a great occasion, withoi precedents or experience to guio us.

What The Fijians Did

IT was only to be expected that tH occasion would produce an in mense outpouring of Fijia loyalty; but comparatively few non Fijians realise that the great Fijia demonstration, and the temporal migration of tens of thousands i Fijians to Suva and Lautoka, in volved heavy financial and otm sacrifices for almost every indiw dual.

No one quite knows how almos the whole of the urban low-wag Fijian population managed t shelter and feed swarms of incorn ing people for several days; but was done somehow, and the sacn fice was made as willingly—as ws that of the people who gave moun tains of food for the formal pro sentation, knowing that, in accoro ance with Fijian custom (whio differs sharply in some respec; from the tradition of various othe.

Pacific Islanders) most of erffr food would go aboard the Gothu and the escorting cruiser Blao Prince.

If the Queen’s visit was pre 1 dominantly a Fijian occasion, must be remembered that tM Fiiians, far more than people o other races, willingly and withoir question made a costly effort to cb honour to the Sovereign.

On almost every occasion tM greatest crowds contained a btc majority of Fijians. Indian repre' sentation was very good: but, s the Indians had "officially decider to join with the other communitiej in a general welcome, there was m Indian demonstration to compaft. with the mass-migration of Fijianr Even at Lautoka it is doubtful : Indians were in an overall majority