Some Plain Speaking

In Fiji Council

From a Suva Correspondent One of the most far-reaching bills ever to come before the Fiji Legislative Council, the Land Development Bill, won unani mous support in the House in August. But there were bitter recriminations when the Council discussed an overseas aid scheme later in the session.

IN the Land Development Bill the Fijians made a positive move to allow other races to occupy and cultivate their lands. They regarded it as a measure which would develop the Colony and advance it towards prosperity.

A natural consequence was the need to set up an authority to develop land on sound economic lines, but where to get the best men for this was the problem. The scheme has to be carried out properly or it is doomed to failure from the start.

The question of obtaining suitable men came up later in the session when the Council discussed an over seas aid scheme under which the United Kingdom Government will subsidise inducement allowances to expatriate officers. While there was almost unanimous support for this proposal, there was opposition to the methods of implementing it.

Fijian and Indian members clashed several times during the debate about the inducement allowances,

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Ravuama Vunivalu said the scheme must be accepted because in any crash “localisation” of the Civil Service the Fijian would be out of the running. Fiji had been handed over in trust to the British Crown and till the Fijians were ready to take their place with the Indians that trust would continue.

“The time for such change is not yet,” Ravuama asserted.

Ravuama gave a word of pn to Indian civil servants who had b promoted and who had proved U worth. Those civil servants wo l do well in any country, and they\ longed to a race who had a loi< tradition than the Fijians, he szb “But,” Ravuama asked, “is itJ to the Fijian all the time to pleadt own case in his own country? ' whom do we look? We are a bemr lent people, and our very system life is built on the theme of benu lence. But it is unchiefly in Fi' eyes to plead one’s own case.”

Mr. A. I. N. Deoki (an In«i member) opposed the overseas scheme, but he was not necesss; against having overseas peoplee assist the Colony.

Mr. Deoki then turned to theme of self-government, claimed that many people had wn ideas. If he wanted self-governm it did not mean he wanted to su his connection with the United K) dom.

“Let us all get together and like one. I feel like that myself,” said.

Ravuama:: It’s all very well 1 ing like it—but do it.

Mr. Deoki: I am doing it. If inside and outside this council, people know it. If some of countrymen have not done the n things in this country, it doe< mean that a great majority are that.

Dr. Sahu Khan, also speakings the overseas aid scheme, claii that, unfortunately, extraneous i ters were brought in, and they not make for the peace and harim of the Colony.

“Two Fijian members have occasion to raise their fingers point specifically to the Im people,” he said.

“It does no good to any pes in this Colony who tries to doc level best for peace and harm among the different races for so one to raise matters for whichr particular race is in itself resj< sible.

“We, the Indian people—am speak on behalf of all the Im people—are here as much at invitation of the British Governn as the British Government is hen the invitation of the Fijian peop< “We feel it incumbent on us, ing that our homes are in this ' ony, that we should be loyal to < Colony and do our level best fon peace, progress and harmony of I Colony.”

Ravuama: By doing what?

Dr. Sahu Khan said he wtv answer the question, but the Speas;

Maurice Scott, said he could ire it. peaking on the adjournment ion, Ravuama Vunivalu told the ise he had deliberately invited the th of the Indian members when poke on the overseas aid scheme, bad wanted them to say what was attitude of Indian people on ■ right to claim posts in the I Service for which they were ified. e said there had been no re se, which meant that the Fijian le did not know exactly where stood in regard to the opinion le Indian community on Fijians le Civil Service. fiat, to us, is a perplexing tion because the other day [dur iiscussion on the Land Bill] we ly agreed to pass an Ordinance g Indians and Europeans, and as without land the right, if are qualified, to enter lands and rate them,” Ravuama said.

Jt have shown them the way to t, but without any positive as ice from the Indian community • how they would react to our ?ed policy in regard to the