Unsolved Problems Of Fiji

[?]Ain Speaking By

[?] Old Resident

[?]rowing Menace In The Unsolved Problems Of Fiji

THAT is to be the future of Fiji, r now the home of two large communities (Fijians and In ms) who are increasing so ra lly in numbers that they soon 11 be jostling each other for ailable space, and who, sociologic y, are very far apart? rhere now are 175,000 Indians lajority Fiji-born) and 145,000 jians; as well as less than 10,000 rassed Europeans, 10,000 quiet ing but officially unrecognised ironesians, and 5,000 silent, in strious but influential Chinese.

The racial situation is quite a oblem, socially and politically, le economic problem is worse, be use, under the 1874 Deed of Ces m, the land belongs irrevocably the Fijians.

Fhe Indian settlement in Fiji was t even dreamed of in 1874. Now e Indian community, growing and rusting and demanding, wants a are of the available land.

Many students of Indian Fijian 'airs have contributed, lately, to

a symposium in The Fiji Times on “The Future of Fiji”. None has been so brutally frank as Mr. A. J.

C. Foster, an old resident of Nadi, Fiji. Mr. Foster’s articles were pub lished on October 2 and 3.

“fTTHE sickness which ails us now”

JL he says, “is due to the fog of tangled thought which ap parently clogs real progress in the Colony.”

He considers that the number one problem relates to population. The Indian is the bogey man, because within a few years his numbers will be twice those of the Fijian.

“But,” he adds, “the Indian is a hard worker and, in general—par ticularly the cane farmer —an ex tremely good citizen.”

“To hold that the Indian is a menace to the Fijian is a fallacy born of wrong thinking and of the laissez-faine policy which is the bane of Fiji,” is another of his sweeping condemnations.

Mr. Foster says that the remedy

is in the hands of the Government, and of the comparatively few quali fied European residents.

He argues that there are far fewer Europeans capable of hand ling the Fijian problem than is generally realised. The greater number are inexperienced trans

ients, working for the Government, lor certain of the trading com panies, or engaged in mining and airport work.

“We therefore have very few Europeans who really work, or could work, for the betterment of human relations within the Colony."

HE writes scathingly of the at titude of many Europeans to wards the other races, and es pecially towards the Indians.

He says that the Indians, under skilled handling, must be accepted as an integral part of the future Fiji; but instead certain Europeans regard the Indians as only one step removed from coolies —“the caste system imposed by the Euro peans in Fiji is as severe as any imposed in India or in Britain", he remarks.

Similarly, he says, the Europeans make pets of the Fijians—praise their ability as athletes and fighters and so forth, but regard them as unfitted to take responsibility in trade and administration.

“In general, they remind me of the colour-conscious Americans, who bar negroes from their schools, but proudly elect them to Olympic representations.”

He insists that the Fijian, like the Indian, can be trained as an excellent tradesman or clerk—many are doing very important jobs where previously a European was considered necessary:

TWO paragraphs in Mr- Foster’s summary are interesting; “Unfortunately for the Fijians, he has no real leaders. It is a sad but true fact . . . that the Fijian leaders have grown away from their people . . . They follow the lead of the European legislators and it is a rare thing for one of them to produce an original thought for their people. The Deed of Cession seems to be their standby and their pillar of wisdom.”

“The Indians in Fiji have no real leaders. The restrictions I have placed upon Fijian leaders also ap plies to the so-called Indian leaders who are really only factional, not national, and who do more harm than good to the Indian causes . . , It appears to be inherent in the Indian way of life to have these factional strifes always going on In Fiji, it will be fatal to the wel fare of the Indian community if it iS not Stopped.” (Cent, on next page)l

He condemns the Indian, in blunt rms, for clinging to traditional idian ways of life, while being >ked to build a new social system i a new country.

IHE writer would use all possible I influence to change the Fijians’ stifling system of village life; id to train young Fijians and idians (far fewer Indian lawyers -“parasites,” he calls them) in ;eful trades and handicrafts.

He urges new housing conditions ; the first priority in uniting and oulding these communities in Fiji ■and he describes present housing mditions in the Colony as bad.

“There are many thousands of nder-privileged persons living in n shacks, ragged bures, bamboo iifices, all so shabby and dirty lat they would be barely tolerable ir animals . . . One sees these jrrible shacks all over the country de, in the Fijian villages and on le small cane farms.

“How can Fiji expect to raise lildren into useful citizens in ich sordid surroundings?”

IR. FOSTER leaves alone the II dominant problem of land use —he says it is so difficult and >mplex that it needs a special •tide to itself —and he says that e regards the following reforms 5 vital: Better housing for the Fijian id Indian producers—through a >ecial housing loan if possible.

Selected young Fijians to be ained quickly in handicrafts, sani ition, building trades, land con srvation, fishing—to be sent at ice to the Fijian villages as ad sers and instructors of the village liefs.

Intensive education for the Fijian ice as a whole —“propaganda if )u like”.

Technical training for all the lildren . . . especially in agri iltural subjects.

Education for the Indians in vie and community duties.

Greater tolerance, kindness of iought and better understanding i the part of the privileged—and specially a more realistic approach )wards the colour problem.

English to be taught in all ?hools, and made the medium of le more important instruction.

The new 18,000-ton Bergensfjord, ride of the Norwegian merchant eet, will cruise the South Pacific ext January-February. Leaving few York the vessel will call at iristobal, Callao, Easter Island, 'itcairn, Papeete, Rarotonga, Auck md, Wellington, Milford Sound, IZ, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney, >ort Moresby, Honiara, Vila, Suva, r avau, Pago Pago, Hiva Oa, lalapagos Is., Balboa, Cristobal, lavana, and back to New York.