OUR FIJI LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 147, 22 June 1923, Page 7

OUR FIJI LETTER.

THE BANANA TRADE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SUVA, June 19. At ft meeting of the Fruitgrowers and Shippers' Association on Thursday last the whole question of the trade was again discussed. The report of the ' inspector at Auckland was read, and showed that the May shipment by the Tofua was anything; but satisfactory. On going into details it was shown that out of Bix cases of very bad consignments fojir had come from packing stations where the fruit had been packed under the superintendence of the Government inspectors. Most, if not all, of this fruit had been supplied by native growers. It was decided that a sub-committee be appointed to go into the whole question of packing and buying, and that a. report be brought up at next monthly meeting. It was also the feeling of the meeting that the native inspectors Should be done away with as much as [ possible, find that extra white inspectors be employed. FIJI TOURIST BUREAU. For a long time the local Press has urjred the Government to open a Tourist Bureau, but nothing was done. The White Settlement League, however, at last took the matter up and decided that it was imperative in the interests of white settlement that such an aid to visitors should be established, and about ' a month ngo an office was opened in Suva in charge of Mr. J. Herrick, a p-entleman with a large knowledge of Fiji. The result has more than exceeded the expectations of the League. Samples of native work, of Fiji commercial timbers, of local manufactures, and all sorts of literature have been collected and, I following on the example of Honolulu, a 1 monthly "Tourists' Gazette" has been published and has been circulated among ibe obtained from shipping offices in New ! Zealand and Australia. Special trips ; for tourists have been arranged, and a I great stock of information not hitherto : procurable has been made available. Already a number of dairymen from New Zealand, who are here with an idea of inspecting the lands of the Colony with a view to settlement, have used the Bureau with much benefit. The Governor visited the Bureau recently and appeared much impressed with the good work being done. It is very probable that the Government will take up the work of the Bureau, and either run one or materi. ally assist the League in doing so. In any ' ! case now. visitors or intending visitor; J can obtain first hand information from ! ; the Bureau, something which was im i : possible before.

THE MAKURA CASE. The Fiji Medical Department has rereived an official reply from the Union S.S. Company regarding the recent failure of the ship's medical officer to report a suspicious case of illness on the Makurn, and which ultimately turned out to he a case of mild smallpox. The reply evades the main issue where the medical officer here declared that his attention was not drawn to the sick child. Under the circumstances, which are regarded as unsatisfactory, the Medical LK-partment has decided that in future, until otherwise decided by the i Executive Council, permission to come alongside the wharf is withheld, pending a thorough examination of all passengers and the granting of pratique. I The fear of any epidemic in Fiji is too I real and serious to be trifled with. COTTON IN FIJI. Aa is the case in Australia, the question of growing cotton at a profitable figure is attracting quite a lot of attention yi Fiji at the present time. Everything is now in train for the harvesting of the crop, which is almost ripe,., and prospects, while satisfactory, are not aa good as they might have been, chiefly owing, it appears, to the lack of training of the Indian farmers, who are the principal growers this season. If, however, the men who have takep up the growing of the crop can be induced to take the advice of the Government expert lately imported there is no doubt of the ultimate success of the industry. One good move has been made, the Government having increased the amount of the cash price of the seed from Id to 2d per lb on delivery. This will also help. Now a resident returned from Australia reports having seen Colonel Evans, who is inspecting the Australian cotton crops, and says that the Colonel is willing to come on to Fiji after he ha 3 visited"the Northern Territory if the Fiji Government will arrange'with the British Cot-ton-growing Association for the visit. The Colonel thinks there will be a great future for cotton in Fiji. He said that Fiji is blessed with a climate that does away with any necessity of irrigation. If strict supervision i-i given to the cultivation of the cotton, very little damage is done by the boll worm. Replying to a question as to what yield could reasonably be expected in Fiji, the Colonel said that one bale of 5001b would be only a, moderate estimate; that was of commercial cotton. He had seen over two bales to the acre, or 30001b of cotton aeed to the acre.