Australia Should

Take Closer Interest in S. Seas

By K. P. Mishra, Editor of the weekly Indian-language paper “Jai Fiji”, Lautoka, who recently made a brief visit to Sydney and Canberra.

Australia should take more interest in the Pacific Islands.

THE winds of change which have swept across Asia and Africa are now blowing through the Pacific and all islands—big and small— are feeling it.

Changes will come to many of them in the near future.

Some of the Powers which govern the South Seas do not appear to be much interested in them, for the Islands need much development and their defence obligations may prove costly.

The important point is that Britain, for one, may not be much affected by whatever turns the Islands may take in the future, for her position is much the same as was the position of the Netherlands, which lost West New Guinea to Indonesia.

But Australia’s position is much different.

Whatever happens in the South Seas will affect Australia most. To obtain peace, progress and security on this side of the world Australia will have to take more interest in the South Seas. The Islands will have to come nearer Australia, politically and economically.

Nor should it be forgotten that there is always the possibility that other Powers might try to gain a foothold on the South Pacific sea board, so as to create tensions of the kind that exist in other parts of the world.

While it is true that the people of the Pacific Islands look to Aus tralia for guidance and leadership, this will continue only if Australia takes a little more interest in the Islands and in their people. • A Samoan Historical Society has been formed in Pago Pago to preserve manuscripts, books and other materials concerning local and Polynesian culture and history, and to locate and mark historic sites and points of interest. Chief Nikolao Tuiteleapaga Pula is the first president.