THE PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 183, 5 May 1925, Page 9

THE PACIFIC

DOMINION INFLUENCE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENSION DESTINY OF FIJI GROUP Recent events indicate that the influence of New Zealand in the Pacific is growing, and that the success that has attend, ed the Dominion’s administration of dependencies there may lead to New Zealand being offered further control. The announcement, contained in a private letter from a well-known Fiji planter, that a petition is in circulation asking that the status of the Fiji group be altered from that of Crown Colony to a dependency of New Zealand, is another addition to the growing weight of evidence of the success of New Zealand’s administration in the Pacific. Two other requests of a similar nature have reached New Zealand during the past year. The unsatisfactory state of affairs in the New Hebrides, under the Condominium, has led to repeated requests to New Zealand to assume control there. When the subject was brought to Air. Massey’s notice by a deputation of missionary interests, the Prime Alinister pointed out that NeW Zealand would be prepared to consider the proposal, but that the first step should come from the people of the New Hebrides, in the shape of a petition. He suggested a delegation from Australia and New Zealand to Paris, to place the matter before the French Government, although he held out very little hope of France relinquishing her control in the New Hebrides. When the Faipules of Western Samoa toured New Zealand last year. _ their chief,spokesman, Toelupe, told his audiences that there was a very strong demand among the natives of American Samoa that thev should be brought under the control of New Zealand, and participate in the improved conditions of the mandate administered by the Dominion. New Zealand in Fiji.. Any discussion of the auesfion of amending the status of Fiji must be approached from the racial as well as the economic angle. On the actual figures of trade. New Zealand has a much bigger interest in Fiji than has Australia. New’ Zealand spends a round million sterling annually there for its sugar supplies, although doing less ex. port trade than the Commonwealth. The fo'lowing statistics of trade with Fiji will illustrate the position:—

The exports from New Zealand to Fiji number 21 items, only two of which, meats and kinenia films, were valued at over £lO,OOO for the latest year. The other items are: —Butter, cheese, milk, confectionery, oats potatoes, tea, beer, apparel, textiles, rugs, bags, tallow, coal, hardware, timber, cement, soap. . , The details of Australia’s trade with • Fiji are not easy to get at, as the Commonwealth Year Book groups them with other islands of the Pacific If New Zealand were offered an opportunity of administering the Fiji Islands, it is considered verv doubtful that she would accept it. The ethnological characteristics of the population of Fiji are held to present a problem that would materially discount the attractiveness of such an offer. Indians are now nearly as numerous as native Fijians, and. if the present rate of growth is maintained, the Indians will outnumber the Fiit’aus at the next census, that is. in 1931. Some idea of the hold the Indians are getting on the I'iiian group may be gathered from the official statistics‘of the population:— Race. 1901. 19] I. 1921. Fijian 94.397 87.096 81.475 Indian 77,000 40,296 . . 60.631 The birth and death rate statistics confirm this prophecy. The Indians, who number two males to one female, are increasing at far greater rate than the Fijians, as the following table will show: —

•Excess of Deaths. The vear 1918 is the latest for which these statistics are available.

NEW ZEALAND. Exports. Imnorts. £ £ 1924 ... 135.763 970.393 1993 ... 92,446 853,163 1922 ... 97,660 1,459,345 1921 76,859 1,909,102 AUSTRALIA. Exports. Imports. £ J? 1924 -X- * 3923 ... 352,744 116,200 1922 ... 573,401 217,248 1921 ... 732,251 204,775 *Not available. ■New Zealand’s import trade with Eijt is confined to two items, fresh fruits and sugar , in the following proportions Eruit. Sugar. £ £ 1924 . . 112,718 849,427 1923 ... 107,720 735,069 • 1922 ... 88,064 1,355,257 1921 ... 129,802 1,773,031

1914. 1918.. Fijians. Indians. Fijians . Indians. Births ... 3188 21C4 3T0 2966 Deaths ... 2793 714 6-552 1599 .. 1 — - — - Excess Births 395 1390 *3352 667