WANT WAKING UP

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 354, 15 May 1928, Page 12

WANT WAKING UP

OFFICIALS IN FUI

VISITOR NOT IMPRESSED WITH STOCK “The officials of Fiji are suffering from insularity and want waking up." That is the impression gained by Captain H. Billington, head of Flock House, near Bulls, who returned by the Tofua yesterday afternoon from a tour of the Islands. “The possibilities of Fiji are not even scratched,’* continued Captain Billington, who trenchantly criticised stock and conditions there. He said he wished it to be understood that his impressions were those gained after a fleeting visit but any outsider who visits Fiji would be similarly impressed by what he saw. Captain Billington said that from what he could gather, the most inadequate efforts were being made to open up the land. He purposely made inquiries regarding land in Fiji as he had been asked to do so by some young men who proposed to settle there. From the conversation of the officials he thught that w r hite farmers were not wanted, but on asking them point-blank he found that there was a desire to have white settlers. . „ “Fiji wants people with capitalcontinued Captain Billington. “Therv is a large area of land which could be opened up and in my opinion the wtatcs are the ones to do it. The climate good and there are undoubted possibilities for good men.” Captain Billington was not «»«*]**£ iastic about the cattle and other he saw. The cattle were poor; sb®: I of them w’ould not be tolerated [ Zealand farms. He thought that importation of stud stock was aD ' utely necessary. Because of the cl j"“ ate stud stock would have to ported repeatedly to keep up

strains. At present there was little or no let for the stock bred in Fiji. far as the visitor could see, the only use made of the cattle keeping down vegetation in the p tations. The pigs were of an inferior G***j?S and in New Zealand would be reganj as “Captain Cookers.*' Captain ton was told that sheep would n well in Fiji, but personally he was sure of that. , in Captain Billington has 0 charge of Flock House for the pa years, and can be regarded as petent judge of stock.