THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 126, 28 May 1918, Page 8

THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

ACTION IN SUVA. (Special to "Star.") SUVA (FIJI). May 22. The report of the Australian InterState Commission, recommending federatf3 control for Sydney of these and other colonies, has roused the politicians here, and there is no doubt the majority of the people are behind them. Objection is taken to the ex-cathedra statements concerning Fiji not 'being central for administrative and commercial purposes. It is argued here that in these days of -wireless the question of being actually central does not matter po much, and" as for Sydney being commercially suitable, the local journal, the '•Western Pacific Herald," is straight out. "We all know," says this paper, '• that direct steamers for England have not been coming, because of the war only, and we all know, from a commercial point of view, that Sydney is a very undesirable place for transhipment.' . This is a reference to the wharf pillaging. Fiji, in particular, suffers considercbly in this direction owing to the transhipment of goods there. In a later issue the same paper says: " We have no wish to sen Fiji converted into a happy hunting ground for political jobbers, nor into a dumping ground for political derelicts, and this is the fate which will befall us if we are attached to Australia or Now Zealand for political and commercial reasons." The elected members have met and nsked the Governor to forward a request on th<"ir behalf that Fiji would 'be conFiiltecl before any action is taken. Ar« assurance to this effect has already been given, but. in %-iew of the new developments it was decidod to ask for another one. Neither the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth (Mr. Hushes) nor the Primp Minister of the Dominior. (Mr. Maasey). would talk while they were in Puva reeentlv. but your correspondent i= in a position to state that both Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are keenly interested in the matter, and there is little doubt they will use every effort to counter Australia's endeavours. Sir Joseph Ward went so far as to suggest New Zealand's policy in the matter if *he gained control, which 'Would be to leave matters much as they are, leaving it to the local people to devise and arlvise as they know more about their problems. Aβ a matter of fact, if Fiji were (river the choice as to whether she should b<: governed from New Zealand or Australia, she would jrive the preference to th< Dominion, on the ground principally thai she would expect to receive a more sym pathetic administration from New Zea land than from a country which has an nnnnced to the world its professed anti fiathy to coloured races.