Fijian Land Use

New Policy For

Suva May 4.

“T>ESERVE lands, as promised to rV you In 1938, by Sir Arthur Richards, will never be can celled except with the premission of the native owners concerned.”

This declaration by the Governor of Fiji (Sir Ronald Garvey) to the Council of Chiefs today (May 4) is likely to go down in history beside the famous statement of his predecessor (Sir Brain Freeston( that “there can be no going back on history”, and that “Fijian lands be long to the Fijians and will not be taken from them”.

When Sir Ronald made this reaffirmation of the British pledge, bang went a fine crop of uneasy rumours that some sort of official hanky-panky over Fijian land re serves was contemplated.

In what was the finest address ?iven to the Council of Chiefs by my Governor in the war and post war eras, Sir Ronald laid before the Chiefs a four-point programme for the development of Fijian lands. He suggested that— • The cultivation of economic jrops should be organised as a communal service and on family ands; the crops that can be pro luced will clearly depend on the aature of the land and the availa bility of a market; on these points ;he Fijian people will be advised by government officers. (The Governor said the Fijian have had very little ielp from the Government, sofar, n the matter of economic land ievelopment). • Building and repairing of louses should be done outside the ievelopment programme. Where ver possible, and as soon as jossible. permanent-type houses hould be built and standard plans vill be made available. Local naterials can still be used where mported materials are too costly. • To pay for the new houses a evy should be imposed, (as has been lone with Fijian-produced copra ince 1951) on the proceeds of sales >f certain stated economic crops.

You have already accepted the >rinciple of such a levy with a good race, and are beginning to realise he benefits which flow from it”, >ir Ronald told the Chiefs. “I see 10 alternative to this method of ompulsory saving if you are to lenefit in your way of living from he earnings you can derive by leveloping your lands”. • There must be informed uidance to encourage the people in his development. The Governor aid: “I propose to appoint Develop lent Officers to see' that pro rammes of work are drawn up in onsultation with those concerned nd that the programmes are in act carried out”.