New Fijian Village

For Suva Workers

AFTER the 1952 hurricane had destroyed or badly damaged the homes of several thousand people in the Suva area, a scheme to provide housing for some of the Fijian workers went into pre liminary operation. [Today the new Nabua village, on the outskirts of the city and near the Suva-Nausori highway, houses 700 people and has its own school, meeting-house, co-operative store, Biurch, dispensary and credit anion.

Nabua people come from all parts )f Fiji, and the community is Srganised on traditional village ines. From the start of the settle nent a guiding eye has been pro dded by Major C. V. Phillips, district Officer on the staff of the district Commissioner Southern. [in the post-hurricane emergency, ftire-type houses were hurriedly luilt, but the Government has now pilt an additional 22 double-unit bncrete cottages for rental and bother three are nearly finished. [The total area of the settlement I 93 acres, of which half has so ar been developed. Money has ben provided for reading the bnainder, and more land has been providing for Fijians who re able to build their own houses. [There is planting land which the Ifllagers cultivate in their spare me, growing crops which help them I meet Suva’s high cost of living. tThe Nabua School, started with 1,000 collected by the Suva Rotary ilub and with substantial Fijian- Ibscribed funds, now has buildings brth £14,000 in a 131-acres block

f land.