Rotuman Wants

Some Action

Rotuma needs its own ten-year de opment plan and its own Resident mmissioner to carry it out, says a tuman correspondent in a letter to M”. The correspondent, who for dication signs himself “Rotuman riot”, says Rotuma should not itinue to come under the Com isioner for the eastern district of i, whose headquarters are at mka.

E suggests that control of Rotuma should be passed to either Aus ia or the United States, and that icr country should grant a loan of i million —perhaps at the rate of million a year for 10 years, ust why Australia or America uld think Rotuma is important ugh to spend £10,000,000 on its elopment, the writer does not say. his letter serves to illustrate a at of view held by a number of umans, who are annoyed because / do not have any representation the Fiji Legislative Council, totuma is the principal island of mall group which lies about 240 es NNW of Fiji. The island is only it miles long with a maximum th of two and a half miles. It is uded in the British Crown Colony Fiji.

Cannot Waste Time We cannot waste our time and : the Communists a chance to en- Rotuma.” ‘‘Rotuman Patriot” ;es. “But if the British and Ameri -5 refuse to help them God will iuade Russia to do it.” le continued that the dependency Rotuma on Fiji was not in the d of Cession. This decision was le by the Colonial Office, who sidered it a wise move, iut the Rotumans had suffered; r had lost their Resident Commis icr, who was an Englishman who d on the island,

le makes these points:

► The Resident Commissioner uld be at Rotuma and the appoint it should be made by London, shington or Canberra (depending the administration in control); ► Only specialist Europeans should allowed in as they would have to paid higher salaries; and ► Rotumans living in other terri es should return to assist in the elopment, and migration of other :s, except Fijians, should be pro ted.