Bold Plan To Meet Fiji's Ugliest

"Tui" Johnson Attacks Fijian Land Impasse

Domestic Problem

A move made inconspicuously in June by the most conspicuous non-official European in Fiji, Mr. W. G. Johnson (head of the very large Carpenter organisation in Fiji) has pin-pointed Fiji’s most urgent problem; and has placed the responsibility for dealing with this problem squarely upon the door-step of the British administrative authority.

IJMJI’s most urgent problem, of ■ course, is land ownership in re lation to population.

According to British and Fijian interpretation of the Deed of Cession (under which Britain took over Fiji as a Colony in 1874), the land of Fiji belongs irrevocably to the in digenous Fijians—apart from some unimportant alienations.

Since 1874, through the establish ment of the sugar industry, a large and growing community of Indians has been established in Fiji. They increasingly outnumber the Fijians —they now total 165,000, as com pared with 142,000 Fijians. In con trast with the easy-going Fijians, they are industrious and com mercially ambitious. Naturally, they are eager to acquire and work land.

Under the present Constitution, there is no land available for them.

UNDER Fijian ownership and occupation, the land is not em ployed as fully as it might be.

Meanwhile, human justice demands that, if they are to be allowed to remain in the Fiji where they have settled and where so many of them now have been born, the Indians

shall have the use of some quantity of land. Yet the British admin istration carries the responsibility of seeing that the original land rights of the Fijians are protected.

Many wise people have tackled this problem, and have confessed themselves defeated. Governor after Governor has studied it —and been very glad to leave it to his suc cessors.

With every year that passes, the situation becomes more acute. The Indians, digging themselves ever deeper into Fiji, make demands which cannot be ignored: If the problem is not solved, it inevitably will lead to a dangerous inter-com munity struggle.

Onto this stage, which is set in depressing colours —and quite obviously avoided by both European and Fijian leaders there has stepped Mr. Johnson. None who knows Fiji will fail to admire his courage and commend his enter prise. He has formed and presented a plan for dealing with this ugly problem of land use.

None is better qualified than “Tui” Johnson to attack this problem. Born in the Colony a half

century ago, he has developed a successful merchant and pubi man—none knows his country, a] the mixed communities therei better than he. None has a keen appreciation than he of the urgeni of the problem, and of the dange that will attend its non-solution, IN broad outline, Mr. Johnsoi plan provides that all the Fiji: lands shall be placed under t control of what he calls s Authority; that the Fijians shall encouraged and assisted—if n compelled—to make adequate use their lands; that the British Go eminent shall provide the Author* with funds necessary (he estimat the total as from £8,000,000 £12,000,000) to establish a lar community of Fijian farmers a] husbandrymen, working on a r producing from their own lane and that the Authority shall ma all lands surplus to Fijian nee available to non-Fijians, on leasehold basis, rentals to go final for the benefit of the Fijians.

Details of the plan may criticised or challenged; but it is; practical, workmanlike plan, by practical thinker and patriot, ai it cannot be ignored.

Unless public opinion in Fiji awakened to the need for actic before the situation becomes won Mr. Johnson’s plan may be ignore It is such a thorny problem, and manding so much thankless effc in its treatment, that most men ju naturally run away from it.

Mr. Johnson produced this pis some months ago; and, qui properly, before doing anyth*: more with it he placed it in t' hands of the Governor.

After that, for some reason th has not been explained, it did n come before the public of Fiji a submission to the Legislate Council, so that it might be debat; by the Colony’s leading men in ft senior institution which advises t- Governor. Instead, Mr. Johnson w allowed merely to bring it befc the Council on the motion for aj journment—which means, of courr that he was given only limited tin for its presentation, and there w no opportunity for formal debate Mr. Johnson described his plai and Hansard, and the Fiji Tim report, indicate that he presented, effectively; but neither the time n the circumstances allowed him —ai the Council —to do justice to a sui ject that is of vital concern to F> at the present time—and will be the future. That is unfortunate, ft more reasons than one.

FROM the Government’s vie* point, perhaps, Mr. Johns* should be discouraged. The Go: ernment probably feels that already has given a lot of though to the problems of meeting Indiii growth and maintaining commun

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ance by encouraging private ■erprise and a wider social and itical outlook among the Fijians, t has made considerable develop -ntal funds available for this rpose. It has created an organ tion for furthering Fijian m idual progress, and has appointed ree outstanding leaders among => young Fijians (Ratu Edward ,'kobau. Ratu George Cakobau and Ratu Penaia Ganilau) to the

sitions of Developmental Officers.

Maybe, the Government feels that has done enough, for the present, this particular field; and it almost 'elv gets a cold chill at the thought at it may be asked to ask White -11 to provide another £8 millions £l2 millions, under Mr. Johnsons But apart from the merits of Mr. hnson’s plan, it would be most iwise for the Government of Fiji withhold active encouragement any spontaneous, non-official fort to find a solution of this oblem. .

This land difficulty is peculiar to ii rooted deep in conditions iculiar to this Colony; and the ay in which it is handled will ive a vital effect upon the early ture of Fiji. It cannot be solved r British officials alone, no matter >w sincere, and clever and ex irienced they may be. A solution in be found only with the cp jeration and goodwill of the Fiji >rn communities.

THE Government, instead of L merely permitting Mr. Johnson to describe his plan briefly at le end of a Council session, would ave shown a better appreciation of jalities if it had insisted on this roposal going forthwith before the ouncil, to become the subject of a ill-dress debate.

All classes in Fiji realise that, un sss and until there is some sort f adjustment of land usage as be vsen the Fijian and Indian com mnities, there is a danger of a lash Everyone—including the ighest officials of Government— sem to agree that “something must e done.” There is much earnest alk “about it and about”; but, xcept for the framing of a cautious olicy of changing the Fijians’ ommunal habits, nothing really has ieen accomplished.

Meanwhile, there is one inescap ,ble and terrifying factor: The ndian population keeps on grow ng, and the ever-increasing propor ion of Fiji-born Indians in the ndian community means an ever harpening demand for a larger hare of Fiji’s natural wealth.

Perhaps the contemplation of a lew expenditure of from £8 nillions to £l2 millions on Fiji does hock the Colonial Office. But the ilternative is perfectly simple. If

the Fiji land problem is not solved reasonably soon, there will be no nolonv of Fill left to shock the

British Colonial Office.

R.W.R.