Mostly Apathetic

Not Their

Business

Fiji's Europeans Mostly Apathetic

APATHY in public matters, re cently criticised in New Guinea, is not peculiar to that Territory.

In Fiji it has come under fire, too; and the reasons given are similar to those in P-NG: a large propor tion of the European population ex pects “to be out of it in a few years”.

The Fiji Times started the ball rolling with a series of articles on the “Future of Fiji”, and later ex pressed disappointment at public reaction.

Mr. Maurice Scott, senior elected member of Legislative Council, and Sir Hugh Ragg, who has had many years in Council and who is head of the chain of hotels controlled by Northern Hotels Ltd., were the first men interviewed by the Fiji Times.

They were succeeded by other lead ing men in business and agriculture.

Most held the idea that for many years Government has done little to increase the Colony’s output, and that no machinery exists to find markets, or to implement the numerous (almost annual) reports, Dn how to increase production, ivhich have all met a sad fate in

Government pigeon-holes.

As a result, exports have re mained very much on the same evel—rising in the good years, when there were no hurricanes or floods; md falling when these occurred.

Meanwhile imports steadily in creased to meet the needs of a steadily increasing population, with he result that the Colony has had i succession of unfavourable trade- Dalances which must continue until some immediate forms of develop nent can be found, or foodstuffs p-own locally can reduce the quantity now being imported.

One bright spot is the prospect of i comparatively early increase in the ixport of bananas which bring •egular monthly cash payments.

Planting on a large scale is being carried out in the Sigatoka district md also on the island of Kadavu some 60 miles from Suva, which is ikely to become a port of call for -he banana vessels.

The urgent need is for immedi ate development that will bring mout an early improvement in the Jconomic situation.

The erection of a large Govern ment subsidised hotel to accom modate the tourists now being r ned away, was one suggestion; he banana trade was another. Then >ne writer suggested making Gov irnment land suitable for sugar cane

available at reasonable rentals to build up sugar exports to the full Fiji export quota.

There could be an extension of the dairying industry which would considerably reduce importations of dried milk. Local milk sterilised under new methods would keep for long periods without the use of refrie-erators ®.

Discussions also emphasised the weakness of the Colonial administrative system under which officers arrived, then departed after a short term leaving behind them as a record of achievement only large files of reports never implemented.

5 Dr. Eric Bridgman, QBE, superin tendant of Rotorua Hospital New Zealand, left Papeete by ? or Auckland, in August, after spend ing some months in Tahiti. In New Zealand, Dr. Bridgman will have the t egl0 I ? ?£ honour conferred upon * llm ky the Minister for France, in recognition of the great assistance given by him to the leper hospitals in French Oceania. t June-July cocoa crop in Western Samoa was a light one. Prices for cocoa advanced slightly and rates offered, f.o.b. Apia, were £Stg.23o - per ton, first grade; £Stg.22o for second grade.