FIJI'S PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 84, 8 April 1922, Page 13

FIJI'S PROBLEM.

WHO SHAIX REIGN? EUROPEAN OR INDIAN? (from Our Own Correspondent.) SUVA. March 3. Fiji is at the the ■ways. Hct people, if they arc given the choice, have to decide whether Fiji shall become a British colony, where the Britisher will retain I'ommand, or an Indian cornjjju^jty—a colony of India, peopled and controlled by her dusky inhabitants. A number of circumstances have led up to this critical position. The war has altered the outlook of labour throughout the world. Fiji, isolated at she is by her geographical position, might have staved off the day of reckoning for some time, but Government was lax, and the same remarkable vacillation which ha* brought India perilously near the verge of rebellion, has allowed a propaganda, which has brought the contonted Indian peasant out of hie peaceful seclusion and face to face with a world's demand, the causes or preliminaries of which he is yet in compleie ignorance. Employers cannot get labour. They fear the worst. The chief industry of the colony—sugar—is threatened with collapse. Frantically the Government has endeavoured to obtain promise of more coolie labour from India. India cent a mission to Fiji, and hopes were entertained that when the visitors saw the evidences of good health and comparative wealth among Indians who came to Fiji some years ago as paupers that they would be satisfied that it ■would be safe for India to allow further recruiting for coolie labour in India. But the Indian leaders of the new sthool secured the ear of the two leading Indian delegates, and the hope in the mission collapsed like a pricked bladder. It is now fully recognised that unless the unexpected happens there is no hope of any more labour from India.

The question has assumed a new phase by the proposal put forward boldly by the "Fiji Times and Herald" that small compact holdings, instead of great estates, and white farmers instead of hosts of Indian labour under white overseers, is the only solution to the query of how our chief primary industries are to be saved. It is known that some of our large cocoanut planters, being unable to find sufficient labour, are ready to subdivide their bearing country among white settlers. Areas o! 100 to 200 acres of full-bearing trees, with cattle as a side line, would return a comfortable income, running into £400 or £500 a year or more. But how to handle the sugar industry appeared a more difficult nu6 to crack. However, Mr. J. P. Bayly, who has been a cane planter and now a cattle rancher, has come forward with a scheme, which offers a suggestion which, if not a complete solution, at least deserves serious consideration. Mr. Bayly has laid his proposal before his Excellency the Governor, who appeared impressed and promised to give the matter consideration. Mr. Bayly's preamble accepts two conclusions. (1) That the Indians now in Fiji have ceased to be a dependable labour force for the carrying out of our primary industries, and (2) that all hopes have vanished of obtaining any further and proper labour supplies from India. Mr. Bayly believes that a white man can perform minual labour and rear healthy families in Fiji, which has an ideal climate free from malaria and other diseases which depreciate other tropical and sub-tropical countries. He anticipates that it is possible that a white fanner's products in Fiji will be protected from Javanese cheap sugar The present preference of £4 13/4 a ton which New Zealand gives Fiji over Java sugar, equal to 12/6 a ton of cane should be sufficient. He suggests that Aew Zealand by herself or with Fiji should provide capital to take over the sugar industry here, or erect new mills -New Zealand in return could get a Tvn 1 " X , * v. BU I e - su ? ply of " white sugar, the best in the world which could be retailed in the Dominion at a profit at 3d per lb. With 12/6 protection white farmers could be paid 20/ a ton for their cane of 13 p.o.c.s. quality Hie estimate for the cost of the ton of sugar is as follows:— ** ' t « s ->i? l,e to one ton ""S"" , ' •Cost of hauling" "to miili'inclndlng *1' ' line maintenance, at 4/ per expenses' shipping "at 3 ° ° Interest and sinking' fund "per ton su ?ar 4 10 0 Total «°»t faTcTo , The f 1 f, x P° rt d «ty will probably be removed To the above he adds frefght, Fiji to Auckland, at 25/ per ton, and refinery costs, £ 2 15/, or £4, making USJ C of£2°4. reSned * Ne '