How Fijians
pp. 17-143 · Read in the full issue
See Their Future
From our Suva Correspondent Fhe Fijians see Fiji’s future con utional status as being somewhat same as the links between Britain 1 the Channel Islands and the Isle Man. They made this clear in ir representations to Mr. Nigel her, the Under Secretary of State the Colonies, when he visited i in January. (“PIM”, Feb., p. 5). e text of the Fijian submission has ce been released by the Fijian airs Board.
HE Board said that the act of cession of the island to the tish Crown in 1874 had, for the an people, a special implication. ly envisaged their country as iched to the Crown—an integral t of the United Kingdom. fhe Board went on: “Her Majesty’s ;, decided by the Chiefs after ision, is ‘Queen of Fiji and Britain’, 1 the Council of Chiefs have from beginning jealously maintained it of directly addressing the r ereign on the occasion of their stings.
It is the Fijian view that the sibility of severance of this link h the Crown—a link forged in a •it of mutual trust and goodwill— uld never be contemplated.
This special relationoship would tear to have its closest parallel in constitutional links between the annel Islands and the Isle of Man 1 the United Kingdom. It is sub ted that before any further con ational change is considered and tainly before there is any move 'ards internal self-government, the ns of the special relationship be en Fiji and the United Kingdom uld be clarified along the lines of relationship between the United igdom and the Channel Islands, or Isle of Man.
We propose a new constitutional jument which would embody this lerstanding of the relationship and uld make provision for the safe irding of Fijian interests, building and strengthening the spirit and 'Stance of the Deed of Cession. ‘There would have to be a precise tatement of the guarantees on ian land ownership. We visualise t the Native Trust Legislation ►uld not be changed or added to
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without the prior consent of the Sovereign and the agreement of the Council of Chiefs. We also stand by the expressed desire of the High Chiefs in the preamble to the Deed of Cession that Fiji should be a Christian State and that therefore no constitutional or administrative changes should take place that would deviate from that intention.
“The provision in the Fijian Affairs Ordinance that all legislation affecting Fijian rights and interests should be referred to the Fijian Affairs Board or, on the recommendation of the Board, to the Council of Chiefs, should be retained and likewise the Governor’s direction to the Public Service Commission to work towards a balance of the races in the Civil Service.
“Subject to a satisfactory solution of the issues we have raised in the foregoing memorial, we would be prepared to initiate, in co-operation with the other principal races, further moves towards internal self-govern ment.
“In this regard, we wish to remind you of the terms of the resolution passed at the last session of the Legislative Council which records the insistence of the Fijian people that the initiative for any constitutional change should come from them.” ( PIM, Jan., p. 5.)