[?]Oministrative

[?] Fijian Voice is Heard in Land

[?]Irring Up A Few

[?]Ornets

JIAN unofficial members as serted themselves in no un certain manner during the Iget debate in the Fiji Legis ve Council in November, or many years it has been nly the prerogative of the Indian nbers to raise thorny problems ch made the official members irm. atu Edward Cakobau set the rolling when he said he was ble to fathom why the Govern it transferred Fijian chiefs from r own people to become Rokos )thsr areas. e said that two chiefs, Ratu rge Cakobau (Tailevu) and u George Tui Sewau (Rewa) [ been transferred to Sigatoka Ba respectively—right away a their own people, hey were to be followed shortly Ratu K. K. T. Mara, now Dis t Officer Maritime, covering Lau, lavu and Lomaiviti, who will go 3a as District Officer.

I is generally conceded that Ratu

Mara has done an excellent job in his present post, and has been re sponsible for raising the value of copra production by many thousands of pounds.

Ratu Edward said that the Tailevu and Rewa people had lost their natural leaders, and Sigatoka and Ba people now had leaders not natural to them.

He told the Government bluntly: “You have created a disturbance of the natural order.”

Speaking outside the Chamber and quoting an example to strengthen his case, Ratu Edward said that Ratu Penaia Ganilau, who was now among his own people in Cakaudrove on Vanua Levu, had been responsible for a tremendous increase in copra producton, and had the undivided loyalty of his people.

Mr. Maurice Scott and Semesa Sikivou, master at Queen Victoria School and newest Fijian member in Legco, gave Ratu Edward full support.

Mr. Scott summed up the posi tion in a nutshell when he said: “If a person is transferred to another district he might get allegiance, but he won’t get the same co-operation he would get from his own people.”

Colonial Secretary (Mr. A. F. R.

Stoddart), and Secretary for Fijian Affairs (Mr G. K. Roth), replied on behalf of the Government.

Mr. Stoddart said that Ratu

Mara was being posted to the most populous area in the Colony, out side the urban area of Suva.

Ba had a diversified rural and agricultural population.

He may have dropped a hint that there was a high post in the offing for Ratu Mara when he said: “We must have experienced officers m such areas. We must do all we can to give all administrative

officers diversified experience if they are to be good officers and servants of the Colony when they reach the higher posts.”

Mr. Roth said that the decision relating to Ratu George Cakobau and Ratu George Tui Sewau had not been taken lightly.

In 1944, when a revised form of Fijian administration was framed, it was explained to the Council of Chiefs that the policy was “to select for the responsibility of ad ministering provinces only those who were specially qualified to do so through status and education.”

It was because no leaders with the special qualifications could be found at the time in Ba, and Nadroga and Navosa (Sigatoka), that the Fijian Affairs Board re commended to the Government the appointment of two high chiefs from other provinces.

Ratu Edward and Mr. Scott re mained unconvinced.

They said outside the Chamber that the changes should not have been made at the present stage of Fijian development.

Ratu Penaia, did not speak on this subject, but he caused some eyes to pop when he said that from the Fijian point of view copra grad ing was essential.

He said he believed results would be better if grading came in.

Ratu Penaia also challenged a statement that Fijian copra gener ally was poorer than estate copra.

In his own area, Fijian copra was not poor, when compared with estate copra.

Semesa Sikivou, in an impressive

maiden speech, made education main theme.

He was critical of many mat relating to education and mad very strong attack on the salaries paid to teachers.

It was noticeable that

•ctor of Education (Mr. W. W. is-Jones), when replying, was r effective in most of his answers, he did not mention salaries, atu Edward’s cold logic, Ratu lia’s insight into matters jting Fijians, and Semesa’s jational background, with sound Kirt from Ratu George Cakobau Ratu Mara, will ensure that the ins’ point of view is well repre ed in the present Council.

ITU EDWARD came up, in the dying moments of the session, with a motion on bus licences ;h won the full support of the ernment. 5 wants Fijians to be able to re bus licences to operate in in village areas when new Is are opened up. ; present Indians have a virtual opoly on bus transport in Fiji, itu Edward’s motion was erly drawn up, and although eked by two Indian members, claimed it was a racial sure, it contained every safe •d to protect present operators, r. Scott closed the debate on ; subject with the cryptic re k; “Why shouldn’t the Fijians

have bus licences? It is their country.”

The Government will now have to bring down a bill to give effect to Ratu Edward’s motion.