Australia Could

Letter To The Editors

Australia Could Help More In The Pacific

Sirs, —Under the heading of

‘South Seas Opportunity” The

iydney Morning Herald of April 1963, referred to Tonga’s Tnance Minister’s recent ex- Moratory talks in London, on inancial aid to cope with Tonga’s

)roblem of over-population and

mder-employment.

rHE Herald said that Tonga’s plight might well be thought to >ffer the Australian Government the rccasion to make a gesture, and the sditorial went on to say there was 10 good reason why the type of issistance given by Australia under he Colombo Plan should not be ex ended to the South Pacific.

Fiji is another Islands territory n the South Pacific which badly leeds Colombo Plan type of aid. only is this Colony strategically mportant to Australia, it is one of ier biggest Islands customers. Aus ralia also enjoys a very advantage ous trade balance, much more so ;han Britain, which because of her oolitical commitments has given the Colony much more aid than Aus tralia by way of grants and loans for development purposes.

Fiji has also been for almost a century a very lucrative source of investment in industry and com merce for Australian shareholders.

In my opinion one very tangible way of helping Fiji would be for Australia to assist in some of the major development works which are urgently needed.

For instance the straightening, re formation, ballasting and sealing of the highway between Nadi, where the international airport is situated, and Suva, the capital, is long over due, and the same can be said for the provision of a regional airport at Suva.

Australia has the capital, en gineers and plant. All that remains is some statesman-like and sympa thetic consideration from Canberra.

Yours, etc.,

David Ragg.

Sydney.