New Governor

in December

New Governor of Fiji—who has been named at a sticky time polit ically —is Sir Robert Foster, at present High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, based in Honiara.

Sir Robert is to take over from popular, goodlooking Sir Derek Jakeway, who is retiring.

Sir Derek leaves Fiji on November 14 and Sir Robert will leave Honiara for Suva on December 20 after a round of farewells there. No an nouncement about Sir Robert’s suc cessor had been made by the end of September, but one was expected soon.

Sir Robert, 55, was educated at Eastbourne College and Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. (Hons.). He joined the colonial service as a cadet in Northern Rhodesia in 1936 and served as a District Officer, Provincial Commis sioner, and Secretary, Ministry of Native Affairs.

He was appointed Chief Secretary, Nyasaland, in 1961 and Deputy Governor in 1963. The following year he was appointed WPHC, where he has been responsible for British interests in the Solomons, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and the New Hebrides.

During the war he served in the Kenya Regiment and the North Rhodesia Regiment in East Africa and Madagascar, leaving the army with the rank of major. He became a C.M.G. in 1961 and K.C.M.G. in 1964. In 1966 he was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour.

He and Lady Foster have been very popular in Honiara.

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Sir Robert Foster

Arriving as he will be at a critical stage of Fiji’s political devel opment, Sir Robert may face a more difficult and uncomfortable task than many of his predecessors. It is a time for resolution and diplomacy.

If the independence-pushing Fed eration Party had its way his term would be short-lived. He would be the last of Britain’s colonial repre sentatives to reside in the big white house overlooking Suva’s botanical gardens.

Federation Party supporters have already voiced their interest in hear ing his views on the future of the colony, challenging him to be out spoken about the line Britain intends to take on the question of Constitu tional changes and independence.

Damning colonialism in one of its recent editorials, a Federation pub lication described the new Governor as having “the same background as thousands of expatriates who built and lost an Empire”. It wondered whether Sir Robert would “have the initiative and enterprise to learn from the past mistakes of his pre decessors”.

The retiring Governor, personable, popular Sir Derek Jakeway, also faced a difficult task during his five year term of office. The present Constitution was introduced in Sep tember, 1966, and he won praise for his part in helping bring the new system into operation. Many hoped he would be appointed for a fur ther term.