ANOTHER PALESTINE POSSIBLE IN FIJI

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1947, Page 4

ANOTHER PALESTINE POSSIBLE IN FIJI

IDEAL 0F CO-OPERATION SEEN AS S0LUTI0N OF NATIVE-INDIAN PROBLEM

"There is in Fiji the possibility of a second Palestine, with an awakening native people spending its energies in futile wrath against an outnumbering group of irnmigrant people and their descendants," said the Rev. S. G. Andrews, M,A., headmaster of the Methodist Mission School, Fiji, addressing the Levin Rotary Club yesterday. He had been referring to the problem which existed with the Fijians, who numbered 115,000, and the Indian population of about 119,000. "But th^re is also the optimistic view," added the speaker, "that the two groups may be assimilated and integrated so that a new social'pattern evolves, based on the ideal of co-operation." Fijians in Tran§ition Stagg Economically the Fijian people were passing through a transition stage, continued Mr. Andrews, ' His primitive forms of agriculture would have to* give place to more systematic exploitatjpn of soil resources. Then there had been the drift to the towns and mines, amd latterly the reserve of yillage manpower had been further depleted for military purposes. The result had been a decline in village life. Houses were decrepit and overcrowded, school and medical .facilities had been neglected and the missionary invariably detected a decline in chqrch life in such places.

The Government had advanced various plans for promoting the economic and social well-being of the people, said the speaker. The latest proposals had yet to be implemented, but they were associated with the founding in 1945 of a financially-independent Fijian administration, and the work of the first native-born Fijian to hold the post of Seeretary of Fijian Affairs. He was Sir Lala Sukuna, who had manifested great qualities of leadership among his own people. His plan provided fpr the rehabilitation of village life by the merger o"f the smaller villages into larger units, by which communal work would fall less heavily on the individual, and water, sanitary, medical, entertainment and educational facilities could be more effectively provided. From the missionary point of view also, it would be obvious that it was easier t'o provide one preacher for a village of 100 souls than five for five villages of 20 each. • The great handicap in the Fijian administration at present was the shortage of personnel fit to discharge the new responsibilities, added Mr. Andrews. To lielp this need the Government was selecting prpmising cadets and educating some of them in New Zeaiand and a few at Oxford. Indians Create Problem "The most signjficant social faet in Fiji is the phenomenal growth in the Indian population," said Mr. Andrews, in turning to review the Indian people and their problems. "Their birth rate is higher and their infant mortality rate iower than that of the Fijians. Further, there is an inherent shrewdness about the Indian that has enabled him to become the economically dominant group. Last year the European members of the Fiji Legislative Council had precipitated an acrimonious debate by proposing a resolution drawing

pointed attention. to the provisions of the Deed of Cession, 1874, pr©ceeded the speaker. By this Fiji had become part of the Britigh Empire and the rights of Fijians to their lands and customs were. guaranteed for all time, Lately,'. the control of Fijian lands a'nd Jfj.* Indian leases had been reorganised s* to the benefit of both races, biit there was still an almost insatiable land hunger among the growing Indian population. The Indians were also promlnent as traders and mechanics, and in professional posts. "A great deal has been said and written about the Indian problem-, but it needs to -be said that ffi befits the European minority in Fiji today to blame the Indian people for the state of affairs. %t was the European commercial element who began introducing indentured I'ndian labourers to Fiji 68 years ago. It was'a blpt on British administration until that form of immigration came to an end in 1917. It has also engendered a peculiar Indian psychology which remains a powerful barrier resisting efforts at reconciliation." Co-operation the Solution Reverting to the ideal of cgoperation, which appeared to be the solution in avoiding another Palestine, Mr. Andrews said that to achieve this end Goveinment services and missionary bodies were bent today.

"Really it is a question of education, using that term in its broadest sense," added the speaker. "For one thing the adoption pf English as a commo'n ianguage for Government, law and commerce is fast making a common medium of interc.ourse possible, and removing on,o formidable barrier of the past. Another factor is the emergence of a common Fiji national spirit and outlook. But it is the educational method that the Government appears tp be adopting. The Stephens Report on education, 1944, accepted the principle pf inter-racial schools. The Government is now committed to it, bpt the barriers have been formidable. Physically, socially and religiously there are vast differences. The Fijians -f are nominally whojly Cnristianised, while Indians are Hindus, Moslems, Sjkhs and Christians. Nevertheless, in one inter-racial school I know we haye seen a pleasing growth qf the cooperative spirit, which has lastgd on in life friendships after school days." Lastly, Mr. Andrews emphasised the sighificance of the numefically weak Christian minority among the Indian people. Their influence was much wider than their numbers of 2000 would indicate. "Among the non-Christian Indians there has been a slow but. sure diffusion pf Christian standards and practicps. The Christian worker cannot be satisfied with this. He can only look to -see through education, especially • through Christian instruction, these two such different groups united in spirit and loyalty, and practising the cpoperation which their leaders pn both sides have so long preached." The speaker w.as introduced by Rotarian H. S. Kings and a hearty vote of thanks proposed by Rotarian A. C. Kennerley, was carried with acclamation.