Fiji's Problems

Monumental Report By Prof. Spate New Light On Fiji's Problems

As Fiji’s population of Fijians

md Indians increases and

both are growing quite rapidly

— there is greater conflict bet-

ween the economic systems and

the social systems of two communities.

THE Europeans, followed by the Indians, established systems based on individualism. The Fijians have an economic and social structure based on an age-old system of living in small communities, in which most property is held in common, and where individuals are guided and instructed by the head of the family group, or the village.

Today, in relation to the quantity cultivable land in Fiji, the Colony becoming overcrowded.

Intelligent people regard the future with misgiving—even alarm and finally the Burns Commission, under instructions from the British Colonial Office, has gone to Fiji to study the problem of how the Colony’s growing population is to fed. The Burns Commission began its inquiries in Fiji this month, and its sittings in Fiji probably will extend into September. (See elsewhere, this issue).

To assist the inquiry, the Fiji Government prepared a series of surveys; and the printing of one of these — “The Fijian People — Economic Problems and Prospects” was completed in June. It repre sents the work of Professor O. H. K. )ate, Professor of Geography at the Australian National University, Canberra; and it probably will be claimed as one of the most valu able compilations ever made in relation to Fiji.

The Governor Gave It Away In Fiji, for at least three decades, Governor after Governor, and Council after Council, have been ramming their heads against the apparently insoluble problem of how to maintain racial unity and harmonious progress in Fiji, in view of the apparently irreconcilable dif ferences between the European- Indian communities (which wish to establish new industries) and the Fijian community (which holds a large proportion of the available land, and is not interested in trad-

ing and manufacturing).

All seemed, eventually, to reach the same conclusion: Either the now numerically dominant and landless Indian population must be removed from Fiji; or the Fijian way of life must be changed from the village communal system to individualism, so that Fijians and Indians may go forward together, on a similar economic plane. By general agree ment, the second is the only prac ticable alternative.

But how is it to be done, quickly?

It must be done quickly, because of the rapid growth of population especially Indian.

A Job Well Done Governors and Councils have given it away. The problem is in the hands of the Burns Commission.

It is hoped that Professor Spate’s monumental report will inform and guide the Commission.

In gathering his data for this re port, the Professor spent several

months in Fiji, and visited every corner of the scattered Colony. He gives the names of no less than 52 villages where he spent consider able time, talking to the people, studying their way of life, assessing their opinions regarding the future, estimating their economic re sources.

Professor Spate began his task with a very clear appreciation of the problems which confront Fiji and the Burns Commission; and he has done his job, and arranged his report in such a way that the Com mission—and all others interested can go straight to the heart of the problem with the least loss of time and effort.

Here, set out in a most con scientious way, are all the available facts about Fijian traditions, way of life, way of thinking—and especi ally about the Fijians’ attitude towards the establishment in Fiji of a powerful society that is different

from that of the Fijians, and apparently not reconcilable with it.

Education Is Needed

Rightly, the Professor has as sembled his data most carefully, and left to the judges (the Commission and the British Colonial Office) the final decisions. But he has to present his own conclusions and recommendations—and very interesting some of them are; • Training the Fijian villagers to l better understanding of today’s needs —social and economic—is vital to the future. • Most urgent steps are needed to protect the available land from further erosion—burning, overstocking and bad cultivation already have caused “appalling” losses. • Organised effort is needed to increase productivity, diversify agriculture, seek new markets; to encourage new secondary industries based on hydro-electric power. (Development in the latter direction could provide a field for Indian enterprise and help lessen competition for land.) • Different and improved educa tional standards should be introduced, so that Fijians may gain in money-sense and personal responsibility. It is suggested that a drastic review of the whole system of education is desirable, to meet new socio-economic conditions. It is considered “unfortunate” that secondary education is geared to the New Zealand system. • The whole subject of technical education requires attention.

His Reforms Suggested reforms bearing upon the need for economic and social changes, and comments on methods to secure same, are set out in no less than 87 short paragraphs in which the report is summarised.

The report itself covers 112 printed foolscap pages.

No recommendation suggests in terference with the present governmental organisation, in relation to administration or land-ownership ' anything fundamental; but the logical deduction from the Ptofessor’s data, and from the way he has presented it, is that there must be fundamental changes in these directions if Fiji’s problems are to be solved.

It is indicated, however, that with

the sympathetic co-operation of the

European, Fijian and Indian com munities, it is possible for a strong

and competent Government-repeat

strong and competent—to build a new and sound Fiji, without doing justice to any section of the exist ing communities.

If that is done eventually, a great deal of credit must go to the

work of Professor Spate. He does not draw the plan; but he has saved perhaps years of work by so skill fully assembling the material from which the plan must be drawn.

Marama Moo Lindsay, a 26-year old male, of Rarotonga, Cook Islands, was sentenced to death in Auckland in May for the murder of Ruby Irene Foster, whose gagged and battered body was found in a vacant section in the Freeman’s Bay area of the city in April. Under the present New Zealand government it is not policy to carry out the death sentence.