Unconfusing The

Knowing Where You Stand In Fiji Unconfusing The Immigration Laws

If the recommendations pub

lished by a committee in regard

to anomalies in Fiji’s immigration

and residential laws are adopted

by the government, much of the confusion and dissatisfaction now existing should be removed, r!ERE will be no easing, however, of the law as it applies to alien wives (or husbands) or children of persons holding residential status in Fiji. Thus it will be no easier for Fiji-born Chinese or Indians, who frequently marry in China or India, to bring those relatives to Fiji. It will also be no easier for other Pacific Islanders to settle in Fiji. And aliens, no matter how long they may have lived in the colony many of the Chinese apparently fall within this category —will still not be exempt from the residential restrictions. The solution to their particular problem, the report says, is that they should apply for naturalisation.

The general criterion, as in the past, would be that “only those persons who can assist the Colony in its many aspects and those persons who are worthy of belong

) Fiji” will be welcome as nent residents—though by no all those will be welcome, most important recom ,tions made in the report are: Recommendations •e should be three ordinances ing respectively immigration, ation, and aliens, nption through length of ile should be abolished, lence of seven years would t a person from the pro of the Immigration and the ation ordinances. Such a would be free to leave the for one or more periods ig not more than 12 months this initial seven years, fter, absence from the for any period whatever not intefere with residential Iren under 16 of parents who >th exempt should also be ;. This covers the question erseas education of such n. ir to grant residential ;ions would be transferred trict Officers and would not solely with the Principal ration Officer (a member of )lice Force) as at present, jovernor would also have to over-rule the Principal ration Officer, and there will tit of appeal by the public immigration Tribunal. There also be an Immigration ry Committee. All deporta roceedings would be held in lear up certain anomalies of w at present existing there be legislation for the intro i of a new Removal Order would have less drastic legal than a Deportation Order. /

Visitors 7 Permits

ir the revisions recommended >r’s permit will cover a period months only, instead of the : four months. Such person lot be permitted to take il employment” or to get d while in Fiji, and must means of leaving the Colony turn ticket, a yacht of his tc. Behaviour “in a manner icial to the peace and good )f the Colony” will terminate »ermit. 3ns wishing to remain in the in “gainful employment” for jriod at all will not be per entry by right. They will 0 seek a special permit and sases will be considered ac -1 to circumstance. appeal tribunal would consist irst Class magistrate and two s of the peace selected from tel of JP’s chosen by the lor.

Committee preparing the re onsisted of Mr. Justin Lewis,

Solicitor General; Mr. Vishnu Deo Mr. K. K. T. Mara, Mr. C. L Cheng, and Mr. Noel McFarlane.

A giant petrel, banded south of Mount Harrison, on Australia’s southern territory of Macquarie Island, on February 24, 1959, was found dead on a beach near Nadi vakarua village at the south-west end of Vanua Levu Island, Fiji, 122 days later and 2,400 miles away.

The find, made by a Fijian boy, Aloisio Ranasoisoi, was a valuable contribution to the knowledge of the movements of these birds.

The petrel carried a band bearing the inscription, “Write Wildlife CSIRO Canberra Australia. 130.15212”.