New Fiji Optimism

'Make Way For Jakeway!'

New Fiji Optimism Based On Sugar, Silsoe And Hope

From a Suva Correspondent There is in Fiji today an air of optimism and a spirit of en terprise greater than has been felt there for years.

THE Colony still is bedevilled by the economic and political problems which arise from over population—or, to put it more correctly, from population increasing more rapidly than the provision made by the powers-that-be to take care of it. But it is believed that the Government now is squarely facing up to the problems.

Of course, the main cause of the general cheerfulness is the activity in the sugar industry.

Since Cuba went out of business as a supplier of sugar to the Western world, there has been a ready market for practically all Fiji’s sugar. The mills have had an extraordinarily busy season, money for the cane growers and for the mill labourers has been spread around more thickly than usual, and all trading classes have benefited.

But still the masses of young Indians are coming into the labour market, vainly seeking jobs; and all the preaching and semi-preaching that has taken place in Fiji to induce the Indians to reduce their birth-rate has had little perceptible effect.

Some Problems There is a dangerous tendency at the moment to build the economy of Fiji on the present activity and prices in the sugar industry. Sooner or iater, as the result of the changed :onditions between United States and Russia, the Red tin-can will be re- Doved from the tail of the Red dog n Cuba, and a more sober Cuba vill again be selling cheap-labour sugar to the Western world. That Dust affect the Fiji sugar industry.

However, that is all out of sight behind the horizon at the moment, md the Fiji sugar industry is very ffieerful indeed.

Lord Silsoe’s practical, well nformed and down-to-earth report m the copra industry has been like mother shot in the arm to the Fijian people. If only half his recom-

mendations are implemented and there seems no reason why the lot should not be given effect to—then the coconut industry of Fiji should soon be built up to become a healthy alternative to the sugar industry. For far too long Fiji has had all the dis advantages of being a one-industry country.

Another heartening factor, which has given a rosy tinge to Fiji’s present spirit of optimism, is the capacity and the energy being shown by the Colony’s new Development Com missioner, Colonel W. B. Rogers, Colonel Rogers has been examining

literally dozens of suggestions for increasing the productivity and earn ing power of Fiji.

Development Job

This Development Commission, of course, is a new thing in Fiji. It arose out of a strong recommenda tion made in the Burns Report of four years ago and, if the recommenda tions had been adhered to, it might already have been showing results.

However, a good deal of time was wasted in the beginning in uncertain fumbling in high quarters, and the aims and purposes of the organisation created were not very clear.

At least, Colonel Rogers found an organisation functioning when he arrived, and a staff waiting to be instructed and directed; and also sub stantial provision made by the British Colonial Office to finance the various developmental projects.

All that is to the good. But more could have been done. That probably is the opinion of Colonel Rogers himself, “Why, oh why, did Fiji not begin to plant cocoa on a big scale a few years back?” he was heard to remark recently at a semi-official function.

“I think cocoa could easily and quickly have become an important industry in Fiji—it should have been earning export money by now—and it still could be done.”

It is possible that, among the developmental projects under con sideration, cocoa planting will take its place beside coconut planting, banana production, palm oil cultivation, tobacco growing and projects of that nature.

However, the powers-that-now-be do recognise that political peace must go hand-in-hand with economic

Fiji's new Governor, Mr. Francis Jakeway.

development; and it is interesting to note that Mr. P. D. Macdonald, the experienced Colonial Secretary, who now is Acting Governor, has been having quite a lot of off-the-cuff conversations with the leaders of the Indian and the Fijian communities.

The one thing that is wanted at present is unity of thought and action between the communities —and Mr.

Macdonald is wisely preparing the ground in that direction for the arrival of the new Governor, Mr. Jakeway.

Colony Awaits

“Make way for Jakeway!” is a toast heard at some of the drinking bars in Fiji today, and although it sounds frivolous it truly expresses the spirit of the times.

The whole Colony awaits with interest the arrival of Mr. Jakeway (who probably will have the KCMG placed upon his shoulders before he leaves London). Much depends upon whether he can take hold of the situation here without the appalling waste of time that has occurred in past years before a new Governor could get himself adjusted to his new responsibilities.

The people in Fiji have been seek ing every scrap of information they can get about Mr. Jakeway. Up to date, all they have heard about him is in his favour. If he is the kind of man that has been described, and he and Colonel Rogers can get along together, the people of Fiji can foresee a period of greater economic and political progress than they have known for a long time.