AFFAIRS IN FIJI

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 28, 28 October 1919, Page 5

AFFAIRS IN FIJI

ENCOURAGING TRADE INTERESTS

INDIANS AND A MISSION

Tho Government, under bho influence of our now Governor, Sir Cecil Rodwell, has decided not. only that roads are greatly wanted across the two largo islands of Viti Leva and Vanua Leva, but that better communication among the various islands cf the group is urgent also (writes the Fiji correspondent of the Sydney "Daily Telegraph"). Mr. A. A. Ragg," chief mechanical engineer, sailed on Saturday by tho Maktira to Vancouver, en route to London, to try for an option on one or two steamers suitable for tho inter-island trade. If no suitable boats can bo obtained, the building of one or more special steamers will bo considered. Special attention is to bo given to stock breeding in the colony. The Government proposes to import stud cattle, both of beef a.nd dairy strains, from New Zealand and Australia. At present many eabtlo aro owned by Indians, and with tho greed for money at any cost, cheap inbreeding from locally-bred bulls has caused many herds in various parts of | the colony greatly to deteriorate. At the same time, white planters, by careful attention, aro greatly improving the weight and physique of their beejj cattle. Wo have two representatives of outside capital here inquiring into opportunities for canning and freezing meat. Major Chn.pnle, ex-British M.P., representing a New Zealand syndicate, has applied for 200,000 acres of fine, rolling, open grazing country. The application has been forwarded to the Secretary for Stiito for consideration. Tho other is Mr. Urqulmrt, of the Corio Canning and Freezing Co., of Geelong, Victoria, who has just arrived with the view of making personal investigation. There are really wonderful opportunities here for breeding cattle finite undreamt of in the Dominion or the Commonwealth. Our present herds number 59,009. Owing to lack of roads, however, three-quarters of the country is lying idle.

Island Trade, We in Fiji are glad to see that in New Zealaad and Australia more attention is being, given to the Pacific islands, and especially to Fiji, which is the natural pontre of tho Southern Pacific. Both the Dominion and Commonwealth Parliaments should at once consider the advisability of entering into a reciprocal. Customs union with Fiji, or at least allow the free entry of island' produce into the countries. It may be that wo could not reciprocate, as our main revenue comes from the Customs. But the benefit.to Now Zealand and Australia of even the one-sided proposal would be of incalculable benefit to both countries, and divert a big trade which is going to the United States and to the United Kingdom. Fiji is/truly an isiand or islands of dreams. ,It is really an earthly paradise. We havo practically no taxes, no biting cold winds, few worries, no really excessive heat, fishing, swimming, shooting, football, cricket, hockey, and tennis, no hard physical work. I was going to say no strikes, but wo have had two last month, when . Indian planters on the west side of Vita Levu struck to compel the C.R.I?. Co. to pay them for cane on each planter's own cane assay. The Indians won. Then the Indian motorear drivern struck against Ihe new Suva municipal by-laws—and rather properly so, but the European car-owners and carriages filled the nepd, and the Indians lost. So (liat the strike fever ihas penetrated even to our peaceful isles.

Mission to India, We have come to an impasse, with the Indian Government on the labour question, chiefly duo to the distorted fulminations of a trouble-maker named Andrews, who is a friend of tho Nationalists of India The Government has decided to abolish the indenture system, audi'the Indian Government-is to bo asked to agree to an immigration scheme. The fact is that a really poor Indian, who is out of his indentures, is hard to find: The '-'Indians are bonv money-get-ters, and the average Indian in Fiji is really verv comfortably off. Many have farms and stock; many havo house property; many have stores; some are very wealthy; all have money, both silver and gold, buried. A banker reckons . that there' is half a million pounds buried and temporarily lost, .belonging lo Indians who died during the influenza plague. The. Government is sending a special mission to India, consisting of Mr. R. S. D. Pankino, C.M.G., T?e;e'iverGeneral. and Dr. Twitchell. Bishon of' Polynesia. Both are eminently qualified for the work, and we hope that some concrete proposal will como as tho result of their mission.