DAIRYING IN FIJI.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4587, 18 July 1923, Page 3

DAIRYING IN FIJI.

? (To the Editor.) ;? Sir. —Under the above Leading in jour issue of April 27, your contributor “Septimus” has much to say regarding the Infant industry of FijiVery little of it is to the point and much of it a mere distortion of fac.. The horrors of farming in Fiji are not so apparent to those engaged s n such pursuits as to the more contemplative "Septimus.” Let us ponder awhile on the “tragedy” of the Tailevu Dairy scheme so feelingly referred to by your contributor. The starting of a new industry m virgin country, naturally entails hardships, setbacks, and even the inevitable percentage of failures. That a body of men for. the most part totally inexperienced in land matters, should have progressed as far as have the Tailevu settlers, calls for, not the commiseration of “Septimus,” but the praise of the whole community.

‘Most of them would.be glad,to.return to the land,’.! says your correspondent - 'but'theft? "never have been,■ nor now exist, any obstacles in the way of such a proceeding. They have paid nothing for the land.; “Septimus” •tries to make his readers’ flesh creep with the picture of returned soldiers slaving at - compulsory dairying I The truth is that the dairy scheme met 'with the usual difficulties inseparable from pioneering; the mistakes • of- inexperience were made, but the resulting lessons were learned. The idea that Fiji should, of a sudden, be able to' establish a dairying industry capable of allowing-her to enter the export market is absurdThat she can and-will shortly be supplying, her-r local requirements is a certainty. * The export trade.can then be seriously considered, but Fiji »s ■too small for any trade in but- : ter which she may be able to develop ‘to be any sort of challenge or menace to the great established trade of New Zealand.' Let-us'learn first to walk steadily before venturing on a sprint.

The lugubrious outpourings of “Septimus’* are scarcely supported i)Y. facts, for even whilst he was busy compiling his mournful screed 'the settlers on the Rewa River—a district abounding in large and open grass lands —were conspiring to form a co-operative dairying company. This has beep, accomplished without any assistance from the Government,, and as it is not a ; “returned soldiers’ scheme’’ the element pf' “tragedy” noted by “Septimus” in connection with Tailevu will, it is hoped, be absent. .. In spite of the meanings of “Septimus” to the contrary, the fact remains that: ■* 1. First-class butter equalling the New Zealand article is now being produced at Tailevu. < • 2. White mep work, on their farms without; any of the distressing results' mentioned by' “Septimus.” 3. Such coloured labour as are employed by settlers 1 perform their allot" ted tasks apparently blind to the "state of moral degeneracy into which- ' the white man has, according to “Sep - timus/’ fallen by manual toil. • A short while ago a Canadian Government <dairy expert passed through Suva and expressed his opinion of the Tailevu prpduce in unmistakable terms, “Fit to compete in any market in the world,” was the verdict of this disinterested visitor. It is well known at the factory that residents in Suva and elsewhere . prefer the local product to the imported article, and could the supply be trebled a ready and eager market awaits it. .'lt is difficult to understand clearly the motives of your correspondent ir penning his column of hostile nonsense. His picture of “Indians kneedeep in mud, planting rice,” is indeed a heartrending one —to the uninformed —but has as much bearing,on the dairying industry in Fiji as has the arduous toil of an Austrian gumdigger on that of New Zealand. Some of your contributor’s statements are so absurd as to render contradiction almost unnecessary. “Cultivation by modern methods is almost unknown,” cries this Suva correspondent of yours, but the' present writer has come in contact with many visitors who can hardly suppress their admiration for the elaborate and effectual methods employed, particularly on the cane lands. To-sum up: (1) Fiji is producing (at, present in small quantities) a high-grade butter; (2) twenty settlers are established at Tailevu, where none existed in the past; (3) following the success of Tailevu, and success it is,, the gloomy “Septimus” notwithstanding, a second factory has been, decided on in the Rewa district and a third is under discussion for the Navua district. It all looks as though your contributor were merely annoyed with Fiji’s industrial baby (now cutting its teeth) and spanked it from sheer malice! This attitude is one whicn 1 ittle Fiji has no reason to expect from her sporting big brother New Zealand, nor in-the case of the indb . virtual “Septimus” is it to be taken seriously, for his ignorance of that of which he writes can readily be judged by comparing his statements with the report enclosed of Mr Valentine, dairy instructor of the New Zealand Government; who recently resided at Tailevu (Fiji) for five months for the purpose of investigating every aspect of the Soldier Settlers’ Scheme. It is too much to hope that “Septimus” will show himself sufficiently a sportsman to make himself acquainted with the Valentine report and publicly to withdraw his erroneous statements ? WILLIAM HAMILTON. Managing Director of the Mercury Bay Co sop. Dairy Co. (until twelve months ago). Owner .of Dalmeny Dairy Farni, Whenuauite, Mercury Bay. At present residing on the Tailevu Soldier Settlers’ Dairy Scheme, Fiji, — . Fiji/ July 5.