News from Lautoka

LAUTOKA, Fiji, has an active Red Cross Society unit which holds functions to raise local funds.

One such recent function was an afternoon tea party at the home of Mrs. M. Y. Sahu Khan, which was attended by European and Indian residents. The society has com menced production of a fortnightly news sheet entitled Red Cross News, produced by voluntary workers.

Profits from its sale will go to a Fiji disaster fund.

A greatly improved telephone system came into operation in Lautoka on October 16. In addition to new equipment, efficiency has been improved by the appointment of a supervisor.

The overseas freighter Nausica left Lautoka on October 23 with a shipment of manganese from this port, bound for the United States.

The manganese is being mined far up the Sigatoka valley and brought by truck over 100 miles.

Here, as elsewhere in Fiji, Hindus celebrated the annual Deepavali Festival, or Festival of Lights, on October 26. Homes are cleaned, de corated with flowers, incense is burned, festival lamps lit, all don new clothes and friends are invited in to eat rich foods. The festival, says our correspondent, is designed to promote the universal brother hood of man.

Elections for the Lautoka Town Council were to take place on No vember 6, to fill the vacancies of Mayor C. A. Adams and Deputy- Mayor M. B. Nityanand. Nominees are Mr. S. Hollander, Mr. J. Prasad, Mr. J. A. T. Hodgkinson, and Mr.

M. B. Nityanand.

The committee of the Lautoka Branch of the Fiji Teachers’ Union met recently to discuss voluntary donations to the Teachers’ Union Scholarship Fund, the Pandit Ami Chandra Memorial Fund, and the Lady Garvey Appeal. To aid these worthy causes the teachers decided also to organise a social evening.