FOUR HUNDRED CAPITALISTS.

Shannon News, 15 February 1924, Page 4

FOUR HUNDRED CAPITALISTS.

What Fiji needs is three or four , hundred men with money to engage in planting. Fiji is no place for the •‘small” man with only a hundred or two to invest. The planter .has to wait six or seven years for his return and a man with limited capital cannot afford to do that. Such was the opinion expressed to-day by Major Willoughby Tottenham, of Savu Savu, Fiji, an Englishman who took up land after the Armistice and developed a line property from the naked soil. Alter a brief experience of Fiji, Major Tottenham was elected to the Fiji .Parliament, but lie was defeated at the last election by two votes. Hia

first election was won with the assis. j tance of a brave wife, by climbing ( mountains and crossing' flooded - rivers. J Major Tottenham and his wife were among the survivors of the Wave wreck on October 28, At Savu Savu they contemplate putting up canning works to immediately utilise the pinapple for the Canadian market. Banana planting is about to become a big thing in that part of Fiji. They have not sent bananas to Auckland for twelve years, but many areas have been planted lately in hopes of an improved shipping service to what is regarded as a good market. , The labour problem affects Fiji as it does all other South Sea islands. At present the supply is just enough to rub along on a mixture of Indians, i.'oloman Islanders, and Fijians. If labour was . plentiful development would be rapid. Inter.island communication is very bad, and planterswho havo their business taking them from home find the Government boat Pioneer almost useless. It is supposed to render a bi-monthly service, but they are lucky if they sight the ship once in four months. Therefore, they have to endure the perils, discomfort and lack of sanitation on board the native cutters

Just at present, says Major Totten-, ham, the group seems stagnant. There is rich land awaiting development, but capital is required. Then he hold the interviewer about the three or four hundred capitalists needed to further the fortunes of Fiji.