Still Going The

Rounds!

Fiji Legco Plea For Population Inquiry

London, Jan. 12.

rHE resolution of the Fiji Legis lative Council of December, 1952, namely— “ That this Council urges that a com ission of enquiry from the United King im be appointed forthwith to enquire to and advise as to what steps should taken to ensure that this Colony will it suffer from overpopulation to the triment of the standard of living of I races in the Colony.” is been under consideration dur :g 1953 by the Pacific Islands Sub roup of the Commonwealth ouncil of the Conservative Party.

The Sub-Group, at meetings held i November 6 and December 3 icommended that a Commission Inquiry be appointed, and arned against a Commission “with irrow and irrelevant terms of ference which ignore the racial •oblem.”

It was decided that the following irther considerations be sent on, ong with the recommendation: Migration: To what extent, if at 1, can Fiji’s problem be solved, iving regard to the rights of its habitants and the views of other tvernments that might be con rned, by encouraging migration other parts of the Common- Balth where the pressure of popu tion is less.

Voluntary Limitation of Birth 2te: How far can the present ex ssive increase in population be Lecked by (a) voluntary co ►eration of the younger genera )n of both races, and (b) legisla )n, to raise the marriage age?

Land Tenure: Might not further nstitutional developments neces :ate modification of the present stem of land tenure, to allow dian cultivators to acquire longer ases of freehold title in agri- Itural land? If so, can adequate feguards be framed to regulate e alienation of rights in land to m-cultivators?

Development: Is the development present envisaged under CD and A likely to prove adequate to the :eds of a swollen population, and mid it be advisable to invite the orld Bank to survey the resources the Colony and make recom endations?

Editorial Note: It Is Per

lent to wonder why the Fiji quest, a whole year after it was ade, should be wandering around e halls and by-ways of the •itish Conservative Party. It also ay be pertinent to note that the wspapers of February 8 reported, part of a pending re-shuffle of r Winston Churchill’s Cabinet,

the probable removal of Mr.

Lyttleton from the office of Secretary of State for the Colonies.

The suggestion was that Mr.

Lyttleton and others had outlived their usefulness.