Ami Chandra’S Death

Is A

Grave Loss To Fiji

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, March 20.

MORE publicity and public de monstration were occasioned by the death of Mr. Ami Chandra, in the BOAC Constalla tion crash at Singapore on March 13, then had been the case with the death of any public figure in Fiji for many years.

Although he was a nominated Indian member of the Legislative Council from 1947 to 1950, his public iwork was occupied mainly by edu cation and industrial relationships.

His record as a student and as a teacher fully justified the courtesy title of “Bandit.”

Ability to understand and to acknowledge other people’s points of view won for Mr. Ami Chandra

the regard of non-Indians to a re markable extent; and this gave him the respect and trust of people of many races in trade union affairs.

The growing prestige of the Indus trial Workers’ Congress in Fiji, as a sometimes outspoken but always conscientiously moderate body, is largely due to his fairness and tact when confronted by potentially dif ficult situations.

It is more than unfortunate that at a time when so many things are in the melting pot in Fiji, such a valuable leader should have been removed from the ranks of the Indians.

In addition to largely-attended

condolence meetings, the Industrial Workers’ Congress arranged a stop page of work for five minutes, on March 26, by all workers in Fiji, the period to be occupied in silent prayer. Many employers supported the demonstration.

The late Pandit Ami Chandra Vidyalan kar, who lost his life in the BOAC air crash at Singapore early in March while enroute to Britain from Suva (See PIM, March). Photo by Prasad’s Studios.