Urful Ceremonies When

Fiji Instals Its First Speaker

Sir Lala Sukuna

id up another “first” when 3 the first Speaker of the slative Council on Sep 4. (He was the first liversity graduate; first rister; first, and no doubt an to join the French Legion and win the Militaire; first Fijian to District Officer, first to ad of a Department; first a Lieut.-Colonel, and the n knight). dourful ceremony he was as Speaker before a of smartly frocked en in uniform, the Mayor in robes and chain, the Polynesia and the Roman Jishop. osing figure on the dais the Governor was the e Kalaniwoalu, Speaker of an Parliament, standing six feet tall and very roportioned. tradition of the office, rare evening dress, except he place of trousers he ,rk silk sulu. the insignia of his orders nedals won in Prance in ir I. Among them the Militaire which he won try before Verdun when ith the French Foreign

He joined up with the Foreign Legion when he was in England and found that the British Army had no place for one Fijian.

Later, Fiji sent a Fijian Corps and Sir Lala was transferred to that. (The writer has been a photo graph of Sir Lala taken in France and wearing what appeared to be a turban and he asked him if he had turned “kia India.” Sir Lala said the turban was necessary to prevent the rain in the Fijians’ hair turning to ice. The cold winter in France must have been a real hardship to the Fijians).

The Governor, Sir Ronald Garvey, said the appointment of a Speaker was surely a signpost on the road to political progress for its signified that Fiji’s feet were firmly set on the forward path which had been paved down the centuries since the time, some 600 years ago, when the office of Speaker was first created in the House of Commons.

He said that Ratu Sir Lala had attended a course on parliamentary procedure in the House of Commons and had thus added a knowledge of the traditions and fashions of the Mother of Parlia ments to his wide experience of the deliberations of a Colonial Legisla ture.

The Governor said that the

Speaker would preside in his absence, but the Governor would continue to be the President of the Council and it was his intention to attend each year at the Budget Session to deliver an address on the State of the Colony’s affairs.

Tributes to Sir Lala were made by several members of the Council —Fiji Correspondent.

vernor of Fiji with the Speaker of the Legislative Council, Sir Lala Sukuna, about he Guard of Honour drawn up for the opening of the new Council.

Photo: Fiji Public Relations Office.