In Fiji's Sugar War

Mischievous Minority Defeated In Fiji's Sugar War

Victory in the latest phase of the Patel-millers war in Fiji’si sugar industry has gone to the millers. The CSR people, at the end of March, announced that at least 70 per cent, of the 13,820 sugar-growers in Fiji had signed the new contract, de\ signed by the Trustram Eve Commission, and recommended by the Sugar Industry Advisory Council.

IT had been officially announced that, if two-thirds of the recog nised sugar - growers accepted the contract, that contract—as interpreted where necessary by the independent chairman and his Sugar Board— would govern the industry’s conditions for the next seven or eight years.

The organised minority of Indian

growers (popularly known as i Patel - Swami crowd”) did aim everything— except moving hea) and earth—to prevent the grow from signing. They told the grow that, if they grew the cane, the mill must accept it—contract or no o tract—otherwise the millers would in breach of the law. They went to the length of inducing growers who already had signed sign another document, revoking tt acceptance of the contract.

There was a real “Indian lawy touch about all this. (For those wi out experience: When it comes to terpretations, some Indian law> think of things that never would cur to other kinds of lawyers.) A( ally, the millers are not bound take any cane outside that cove by a contract. The contract, hav been formally signed, may not revoked in the manner suggested.

The struggle went on for we< out among the canefields.

Blame Where it Belongs The great majority of the Inc growers are decent, honest men \ ask only one thing—that they be alone to carry on their industry ur conditions which will give tl reasonable security.

Unfortunately, the conditions tough. They are not created by Fiji Government, or the millers, the finance monsters which so ex “the Patel-Swami crowd”. They shaped by the fact that the wor sugar market is consistently o’ supplied, and the surplus comes fi slave-labour countries.

The Patel-Swami activities are motivated by love of the Inc growers. They apparently arise fi a small group’s ineradicable ha of the millers plus some sort of ra inferiority complex.

The growers are simple men, m of them illiterate. The “Patel-Sw crowd” in 1960-61 so played on t suspicions and their ignorance

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they brought about the “growers strike”; with the result that Fiji’s in come from sugar, in 1961-62, will be down by between £2,000,000 and £3,000,000. Already, the Indian masses are feeling the economic pinch; and, what is more, the majority now are putting the blame where it belongs. So the “Patel- Swami crowd’s” campaign failed.

The acceptance of the contract means that these conditions will rule the industry for some years; and the authorities now have power to deal drastically with anyone who disturbs the industry.

The “Patel-Swami crowd” give no sign of ceasing their activities among Indian growers. The extent to which they will be permitted to carry on will be the measure of the ability of the British Colonial Office’s Fiji Government to govern Fiji.

A Better Economic Outlook At the month’s end, the mills an nounced the distribution of £900,000, based on the 1961 crop’s proceeds.

This money will be very welcome in the sugar-growing areas. But, even so, there could be acute distress there before the 1962 and 1963 crops are marketed.

The sugar prospects are very good.

A quota of 250,000 tons for Fiji for 1962 already has been announced; and it is believed that at any momenl the mills will announce a quota of al least 235,000 tons for 1963. If there is peace in the industry, Fiji could experience an economic improvement before a year is out.

All classes are anxiously watching the activities of the Development Commision, headed by the tireless Mr, Bevington, and hoping—anc hoping. Plans are impressive, ob jects are beyond cavil—but, in thi:

overcrowded little country, time is terribly short. If only someone could produce a Five - Years Plan for Throttling the Indian Birthrate!

Quietly but rapidly the Fiji timber industry is building up, and figures and prospects are impressive.

The Colonial Development Corporation and Fletcher interests now have assembled a plant worth about £250,000 in the Nausori Highlands.

Good forest is there and the market seems assured.

Messrs. John Bayly and Lou Genge have another timber enterprise taking shape in the hills beyond Navua; and over at Kadavu Island

there is a timber enterprise in active being.

The Fiji Government has wriggled away from so many important recom mendations of the Burns Report that any quotation therefrom is considered maladroit. But here is a sentence or two from Paragraph 559: “Over li million acres, or 28 per cent, of the land area of Fiji, is suitable for sus tained timber production . . . Here lies a vast natural and potentially valu able asset which, if developed, could be one of the major—if not the largest—industries in the country; and we urge that all possible steps be taken to make it so.”