Make The Fijian An Individualist!

One Suggested Solution of Indian Population Problem

Written For Pacific Islands Monthly by “Y”

IHERE seems little hope of a solution of the Fijian-Indian problem, based upon anything far produced in the writings of r. Amie Ragg, Mr. Pratap, and tiers. Mr. Ragg and Mr. Pratap t forward impressive arguments t they are so obviously partisan at they more or less cancel each tier out, as extremists.

Even putting the blame upon the ■itish Government for allowing ch a position to develop, although rfectly justified, is getting no lere. The problem is here and list be faced—although the pro sm is not so urgent as Mr. Ragg mid have us believe.

There is one angle to the aua:r at has not been approached, ex pt obliquely; but to my mind it uld well be the crux of the whole lestion. That is the utter incom ,tibility of the present system of jian communal life with the leds of a modern world.

The whole pattern of Fijian life a denial of thrift. The Fijian nnot reap the rewards of industry id husbandry, simply because he not allowed to.

It often has been alleged that itives of South Seas Islands have sen exploited. If that is so, they e not being exploited by the large ading companies—not to-day, at ly rate. Prices fixed for the Dlony’s produce are sound, and do )t favour the European or Indian relation to the indigenous Fijian, e has equal opportunity and he is the land “frozen” for him by overnment. If there is exploita- Dn, then it must be laid at the >or of his Chiefs.

T is often quoted by old-timers in the group that the Fijian people are the victims of a gantic confidence-trick, perps ated by the Chiefs and connived ; by the British Government; and hen that statement is analysed i unpleasant grain of truth >pears. Certainly, when the Chiefs iy, “Gimme!” they get.

Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna said, not so ng ago, that if a Fijian were dis wered who possessed £l,OOO the imediate reaction among his kind ould be the devising of ways and leans of taking it away from him. his would be done legally, of >urse, per the medium of “Fijian istom.” So what incentive has the •dinary Fijian to toil or spin?

The ordinary Fijian, living in his yro, and having access to good )pra-producing stands and any nount of fertile, untilled soils, orks just sufficiently to get by. fhen his Chief comes along with periodical “Gimme,” he works a *ifle harder, until the request is itisfied, and then falls back into

the enough-for-today attitude.

He loves to see his children obtaining the benefits of education and so, when the school fees are due, there is some extra work; but he will not consistently toil and build because he would not be allowed to keep the rewards of his industry; and that, in any language, forbids progress. He does not plant, he does not clear and he certainly does not till new soil.

ALL of which leads to what we are beginning to call the Fijian Land Problem. If all the work able, fertile soil of Fiji were sub ject to intelligent cultivation, the dire prophecies of Mr. Amie Ragg anent food production would be nullified.

Strangely enough, the good price being obtained for copra has not been a benefit to the native pro ducer. He now gets what he re quires with less effort, and so his land goes back instead of onwards.

Most Fijian copra sections are masses of tangled undergrowth, covering fallen trees, rotting logs and piles of old coconut husks. In

many of them, it is impossble to gather even a fair percentage of the nuts which fall; those unfound turn to vara or rot in the jungle of undergrowth.

The remarks of the Governor, re ported in your December issue, make it appear that Government is becoming aware, rather be latedly, of this fact. The suggested appointment of Development Officers would add to an already sadly top heavy Civil List; but could be of some benefit if wisely selected and efficiently supervised.

En passant, this question of super

vision affects nearly all Governme departments. Far too many tf executives are housed in Suva, a£ show a disinclination to leave tM city to attend to what is, after s their duty.

SOME years ago, Captain Gn came under fire in certs, circles for his trenchant crit:f ism of the Fijian as a laboo prospect. In my opinion the goo Captain erred on the side of len [ ency.

The Fijian, not an unintelligea fellow by any standards, is the pm duct of his social system and tf “what’s yours is ours” aspect hi turned him into an unreliable au untrustworthy person. His loyah is directed to two places, his Chir and his Mission, with the Chir leading handily. We are all tf prone to judge the mass of tf Fijian people by the standards s by our “show-window” exhibits, tf soldiers, footballers, etc.

If the Fijians would show tf same industry towards the cultiw tion of their lands as they shor towards the cultivation of ther soldiers, there would be no need ft champions such as Mr. Amie Rajs to fight for them.

Mr. Ragg is honest and sinceie and I have nothing but admiratid for the fight he is putting up; bet he must be sure that the cause ] is championing is worthy of tf effort.

I HAVE little liking for t M Indians. In the main they as arrogant and disloyal, and as dishonest insofar as their evasid; of taxation is concerned. Yet thri do have the saving graces of i:i dustry and thrift. To send the3j away, as Mr. Ragg suggests, worn do the Colony’s economy irrepas able harm.

In any case, to deny a man H own country, or the country of hi birth, would be a direct negation .

Mr. Ragg’s own principles; and tit Indians are now, to an overwhelmJ ing extent, Fiji-born. Far bettf: would it be to give the ordinal Fijian a greater stake in his ow: country and allow him the benefit of the industry which he can shoo To do this, however, would mess the radical re-arrangement of tlf whole structure of Fijian life.

Britain guaranteed the retentioi and preservation of the Fijian wsv of life; but, as she has departed so far from the “intention” of tKf original Deed of Cession, a furthrf departure could be excused, if were obviously for the benefit the race itself. After all the finf principle of good government the greatest good of the greatee: number.

It would mean a curtailment » the powers of the Chiefs, and tluri is a snag which would have to I closely watched. Government man even be working in that directioi slowly, as evidenced by the fact thsrf the two senior Leg. Co. Fijian menn;

•s at present are not of chiefly ik. ?he whole problem is like a bogey ,n in a box, with everyone afraid open the box. The longer the ;ey remains in the box the *rier he will become. s erhaps, if they were to place the i upon a table in Leg. Co., and ik the European and Indian mbers on each side, then recall ; Fijian war-party from Malaya confront him, the bogeyman ght prove to be quite a docile low after all.