Representative

New Fiji Govt.

In Sydney

A Fiji-bom public servant,

Mr. R. M. (Bob) Major, arrived in Sydney with his American-born wife on Feb ruary 21 to become the Fiji Government Representative in Australia.

MR. MAJOR succeeds Mr. Basil Rogers, who relinquished the job in December to take up a new post in Aden. After Mr. Rogers’ de parture, Mr. B. J. (Barney) Smith, Fiji’s Deputy Accountant - General, took over the job until a permanent appointment was made.

Mr. Major, who is 45, has had a long career in the Colonial Service.

His latest post was Secretary for Natural Resources in Fiji.

This was a key post in the con stitutional set-up of July, 1964, when Fiji started the Member system. The Member for Natural Resources, Ratu K. K. T. Mara, is reported to have been sorry about Mr. Major’s trans fer to Sydney, because the Natural Resources Department is still in its formative period.

Mr. Major spent much of his time in the Colonial Service in Fiji in the office of the Financial Secretary. He twice acted as Financial Secretary.

Mr. Major is a grandson of Mr.

H, T. Milne, who was present at the signing of the Deed of Cession in 1874 as secretary to King Cakobau.

He is a second cousin of the Speaker of the Fiji Legislative Council, Mr. Maurice Scott. Mr.

Scott’s grandmother, a Mrs. Garrick, was a sister of Mr. Milne.

Mr, Major was educated at Suva Grammar School, Ardingly College and London University.

He was in England when World War II started and he joined the Royal Corps of Signals.

He later transferred to the Fiji Military Forces and became a mem ber of the Defence Force in the

Geic.

When the war ended Mr. Major stayed on in the GEIC as a District Officer till 1948, when he returned to Fiji to enter the Colony’s Civil Service.

In 1956 he went to British Hon duras as Development Commissioner, but went back to his homeland in 1961 as Deputy Financial Secretary.

Mr. Major.