Pope's Encyclical

Will Make It

Harder For Fiji

From a Suva correspondent Pope Paul’s decision on birth control has not exactly been re ceived with enthusiasm in some

important quarters in Fiji—a

colony where there is official en couragement for people to con

trol the population growth.

Mr. R. L. Munro, president of the Family Planning Association of Fiji, described the Pope’s ruling against all forms of artificial birth control as “disappointing”. Which was putting it mildly, considering his own organi sation’s efforts towards stemming the colony’s population explosion.

“The association would hope that married couples, irrespective of their religious beliefs, would know that children are the main sufferers from excessive family size and that control of family size is a basic human right attainable by methods which, although not sanctioned by Pope Paul’s encyclical, are nevertheless ethical,”

Mr. Munro said.

His anxiety was probably heightened by the fact that only a week or so before the Pope’s decision was announced, the results of the 1966 Fiji Census was published.

One of the most urgent points stressed was the need to create more jobs for the growing number of men looking for work.

Figures indicated that the number of young men seeking employment over the next 10 years would be eight times greater than those who would normally be expected to re tire during that time. The position looked like becoming particularly acute in the major industry of cane farming.

In addition to that, a Medical De partment report—also published be fore the Pope’s encyclical—showed that the overall infant death rate in Fiji, which has been falling for years, was now among the lowest in the world.

Obviously any force opposing birth control, particularly one as strong as that emanating from Rome, must cause concern to a body which is doing its utmost to curb Fiji’s popu lation growth.

And although the Roman Catholic population of Fiji is a surprisingly low 8.6 per cent, of the total, the effects of such religious rulings, ac

cording to Mr. Munro, can be more widespread than the numbers indicate although the real effects will probably be felt in the Roman Catholic pocket! of population, such as those a Taveuni and Sigatoka.

By coincidence, the Family Plan ning Association’s 1967 annual re port came out exactly a week aftei the encyclical—and it contained 5 warning that Fijians were adopting family planning far too slowly, “Unless Fijians are to lose th< benefits of planned parenthood, mud more will have to be done to per suade their political, religious am other leaders that family planninj is as important for Fijians as it is fo the rest of the developing world,’ the report said.

It warned that without plannee parenthood, Fijians would lose thi advantages of better living standards better education and healthie mothers and children in an improv ing family and national economy.

It stressed also the gravity o the future for Fiji unless its self sufficiency in food production wa vastly improved.

Nevertheless, despite the slight ai of pessimism, the report showed tha the gospel, as carried by the asso ciation’s 16 branches in Fiji, is havinj an effect.

It said that 32.5 per 1,000 coule be used as a close approximation t< the true 1967 birth rate (the exac figures are confused by the fact tha the 1967 registrations contain an un usually high number of births relat ing not to actual 1967 births, but t< those occurring in previous years).

Deducting the estimated death rati of 5.01, Fiji now has a growth rah of about 27.5 per 1,000 —a big im provement on previous years.

Population details

The figures also showed that the birthrate of Indians in Fiji is stil dropping faster than that of the Fijians, with the Indian rate beinj 32.01 per 1.000 and the Fijian rate 36.48 per 1,000.

The population—as estimated uj until December 31, 1967—was showr as consisting of: Indians. 250,513; Fijians, 208,468 Europeans. 13,499; those of mixec descent, 10,414; Polynesians, Micro nesians, Melanesians, 8,017; Rotu mans, 6,177; Chinese, 5,716; others 152 .. . making a total for Fiji ol 502,956 people.

The report also said: “The association believes tha. family planning is a proper part ol sex education and that sex education on a comprehensive scale, should be part of the school curriculum.”