THE FIJI STRIKE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3413, 18 February 1920, Page 3

THE FIJI STRIKE.

'J‘I{RII)A'I‘ENING Sl'[‘Lr_.\TlQN_ R.3«3l>olrl‘s TO THE GO\>ERNMENT_ .-\ rnessage was received by the Defence Minister (the Hon_ Sir ,JanleS Allen) from Major’ Puttick, who is in charge of the New Zealand troops on thc Tntanekai. Major Pumck States, tion obscure, particularly in nol.flml.n -and western districts, with which no connnunication since 11:1,’ tehphom, line being cut. V “Previous reports to the 111-}, States strike not extended to that ;n.od, and everything quiet. Rewa. and Suva‘ areas telephone cut, bridges damaged by Indians. Minor rioting at Suva on 11th, and at Nausori n, few minor in. juries on the V.l.2th. No l)l00(lSl1C(l yet. i Sit:n'-aiion appears sornewhat threaten-l ing.” R His Excelloricy the Governor--(lerreral ha.sl'o(3(\ivcdl'll(? following tolog;-am from the GO\’(-‘1‘11()1‘ of Fiji: “Indian st:-ike serious. Collisions occurred in Indian quarter of Suva. on Fel)ruary llth, when :1 number of strikers who were lying‘ in wait for loyal workers, attacked the police and badly injured three European special constables. Order was at once restored and numerous arrests were made. “February .l2.~—DiSlurbances broke out at Rewa, amounting to :1 riot, but the police and defence forces showed wdmirable restl':lint'uL\cler \(‘Xl]‘(‘mC'r provocation, and quietenecl ‘the disorder without resorting to e:;lrenle nleasul'n.s‘. Steps are being taken to control the movements of the Indians of Hu\‘zl and neighbourhood, and to afford protection to those desiring to return to ‘work.l ’l‘here is, as yet. no ne\\'s;l.< gto wliether agitators have .\'lle,(_*.(*t'l.l.‘«l lin extending the strike to the north coast of the main island; or wlrethur the recent offer of the Colonial S\1;::1r Refining Conipuny to the Indian cane growers and workers is likely to be accepted.”

“WH.-\T IS BACK OF 1'.1.“.’~” Mr Holland bl'ioily outlined thg his t tory of the outbreak in Fiji. Ho said [hat Mr Massey connected the trollblcst in Fiji with those in India, but the’ speaker contended that the unrest in‘ Fiji had a separate economic foundation. Hc outlined the indentured! I'a.boul' conditions in Q11(?o11s1a11d, and! pointed out that in that country white, labour had proved very successful.‘ ;\t‘tol' quotiizg from Dr. Burton '5 bookrs,

-e Call of the Pa-c.7211e.” and “I<‘ijEl of to-day,” the speaker eontemled that l because the Fijians held the land they‘ would not work. Various nl'anufaetu:--I ing companies in thou. islands, there«; fore, had to import‘. Indians. Other quo‘cations tended fo show tllat'tlle l'zlbolll' (tOll(lltl0I]s in Fiji were “S(*aml\llous” unxl the nlm‘zllil_y of the imlentured l:1boure1"s was alleged to l);| very low. The list of crimes was e.\'eeedingly large. The profits made by the sugar companies employllxg indenfured hxlv our were said to be enormous. The (:l’lnLlitiolls \\'el'e so bad in the ecu}-.rr‘,' ilzat the \\'umcn of I11Cli:1. proterstel, with the result that steps were ‘zaken to I“ermina‘re the system of .~'Ln(lelltu':ed labour. When "this was done a move was made fo secure other lab» our, Such as (T'llinese. The .<pezlkel' del vlzxred he \\eul(l .<l:lnd by the \\"ol'l<el's, wlle’rl:«el' blank or while, wllc-n tlley were being (uxploiled by the capitalists, and that the only way out of the djfii.m';ty was “economic justice.”