PROGRESS OF FIJI.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1912, 21 November 1913, Page 5

PROGRESS OF FIJI.

■ ! 'BIG RAILWAY SCHEME. ' BENEFIT TO NEW ZEALAND. The Fijian Government has under consideration at present a scheme f<)r building 50 miles of railway from Suva up the ltewa Valley, and what this undertaking will .mean to Fiji, and to Neiv Zealand when completed was discussed with ' ail Auckland "Herald" representative'-by the ; Hon. J.'- B;, Tur- % nor, of Suva, who arrived by the Makura from, tho. island port. The visitor is a member of' the Fijian 'Legislative Council, and is, one, of the two non-official advisors to the Governor,' Sir Bickham Sweet-Escott. 1 report of an English engineer, Mr. • turner explained, had been adopt-.- €(. by a Special Committee of the Legis-: lative Council, and the scheme • was I rapidly assuming definite shape. The ! preliminary estimate of the cost of the work was £200,000.- ' The fruit trade with New Zealand, continued Mr., Turner,' would receive a big impetus through the construction or. the railway. The Rcwa Valley was rich and fertile,.- but owing to the present, lack ofi transport facilities, fruit grown any distance* from the seaboard took days to , reach Suva. . Railway transport, however, would mean that bananas from the present hinterland could be cut and placed on board steamers at Suva the same day, and so would reach Auckland niiich better state' of ripeness. The fruit-producing area would also be greatly extended, and Mr. Turner was, hopeful that the increased trade would necessitate a weekly service, to the Islands. .' Tlio Suva Harbour works, which arc to cost- £200,000, "are making'substantial progress. Some 17 acres are being reclaimed,' and when the work is completed all .vessels will/be able to berth at tlw wharves,,and thus trade will bo facilitated. In dismissing Fiji's progress general--Mr. Turner referred to the Union >. fiani Ship-Company's hotel, which is niariiits completion. It has enst £«"'n:il thousands' of pounds, nnd the e-.'p-rJiture will,, he considered, un-dtuhtr.-Jly be justified by an increased K'irst fra'Bo. ■