OUR FIJI LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 267, 8 November 1923, Page 8

OUR FIJI LETTER.

(From Oar Own Correspondent.) SUVA, October 31. Rifle Shooting. A rifle match was held recently, dur ing the visit of H.M.S. Chatham between a team from the warship anc one from tho Suva Rifle Club, resulting in a win for the local men. The score; were: —Chatham: Lawrence 49, Tooke 39, Norman 39, Woods 38, Long 37 Lieutenant-Commander Edwards 36 Robinson 81; total, 20!). Suva: Viearc 45, Anderson 44, Roetier 42, Ballantyne 41. Butler 38, Tlalstead 37, Poulton 33: Total, 280. Methodist Conference. The annual conference of the Metho dist Mission is Bitting just now in Suva and many important matters hate bcei discussed. It was decided that al funds raised by the natives should Ik utilised in the furtherance of work among the natives, and the expenseand salaries of the missioners will ii future be paid from funds contributed by Australia. This decision will re move some little cause of frictior which has been showing for some time among tho native contributors. A very encouraging report was tablec by the financial secretary in eonncctior with the proposed Central Girls' Higl School in Suva. The estimated cost, is £5000. One-third of this haR alreadj been promised by the Methodist Mis sionary Society of Australasia, pro viding that two-thirds n.re raised ir Fiji. Of the latter amount £2000 ha<i now come to hand. Towards this sun all the circuits had contributed. The Ra circuit heads the list with £24C ii/. Kardavu being second with £21C 3/11. Missionary Exhibition. The Hon. T. E. Fell, C.M.G., tht Governor's Deputy and Colonial Secre tary, opened an exhibition of native and Indian school work by pupils of the Methodist Mission on Wednesday last. Jt was the most surprisingly fine display ever seen in Suva. There were displays oi over 30 schools and a large court froir the Davui Levu Training College. The wood carving and turning were splen did, and equalled anything seen in simi lar displays in the" Dominions. The mapping, drawing, writing, planning and geometrical work was really ver\ good. Then there were all sorts o! nativo work such as mats, includinf three prize-winners which are going tt tho British Exhibition, tanoas, walking sticks, stools, wood pillows, wont! combs, relief maps of Fiji and the Pacific nicely coloured. The committee of the. Fiji Exhibit foi the British Exhibition examined the dis plays and choee quite a large number ol articles which will be eont Home Visitors from overseas who saw the ex hibition were greatly impressed by the excellence of the work and openly con gratulated the head teacher of the Training College on this practical cvi dence of careful training and of mucr industry on the part of the pupils. Tht chief objective of the college i.s to pust practical training with all the advantages it offers, with the idea of keeping the natives contented in their towns instead of their drifting to the towns and getting clerkships with poor paj and tho belief that they must dress Uf to the part, for they arc quick to emu late the whites. The exhibition made 8 very big impression upon the com munity. Fiji Government Loan. The Government on Saturday last publicly announced that the Governor hat appointed a committee to examine ir detail the position regarding the linance; and prospects of the Colony, in ordei that a decision may be taken regardinf the flotation of a loan next year. The conmittce will examine the foi lowing hea is under which loan expenditure might prove advantageous:—Construction of roads, bridges and othei works and the improvement of com munications, the introduction of Euro pean settlers in pastoral and other in dustries, the establishment of a finan cial organisation to assist copra ant other planters, development of banana export trade and other fruit, genera: progress and development. People are beginning to hope that at last the Gov eminent mean to try to do somethinii to give the Colony a chance to progress as it should. Capital for Fiji. By the Niagara Colonel Jerome Dyer C.8.E., arrived from England armed witr all sorts of authority to promote new industries ,in the Colony. Colonel Dyei is a brother of Mr. J. Dyer, one of oui oldest cocoanut planters, and has since the war been interesting himself ir endeavouring to interest British anc Canadian capital in developing industry in Fiji. On this occasion he has come fully armed with the means of opening up the pineapple growing and cannin;; industry. It is understood that he has options on some very fine land in Savi: Savu on the island of Vanua Levu. He has interested such well-known people as the Tennant family and Messrs Chalmers, Guthrie and Co. in tho scheme The syndicate started with a capital ol £100,000, and it is understood that there is another £400,000 ready as soon as the position warrants the operation of sc much capital. Besides the British capi tal the Colonel has enlisted the assis tance and active co-operation" of tin Canadian Dominion Canneries Ltd.. a very big and wealthy concern, which ha; some 80 pine canneries already in action Colonel Dyer is now in close conference with the Government as to conditions of land tenure, transport, protec tion and other necessary provisions When this syndicate gets going there will he others ready to also launch out in pineapple culture. Fiji has bettei land and cheaper labour than Hawaii and with a plentiful sugar supply the future of pine growing and canning is assured. Fiji Dairying. During the election campaign, wliicr finished on Saturday last, all the candi dates advocated the immediate ereetior of cold storage works in Suva, with tin object of providing the necessary accommodation for the daily increasing output of butter bj' the local dairymen Not only is the soldiers' dairy sehemt at Tailevu, increasing its butter Output but many settlors have taken up dairy J ing seriously, and the general output ha; nearly reached that point where there will be.no more need to import any hut ter from the Dominions. Already the pro ducera are feeling acutely the need o cold storage and find it necessary t< make their butter into ghee, for whicl they easily get 2/ti per bottle. Tin quality of Fiji butter is surprising! , , good, and its keeping qualities, whei fully churned, is equal to the importei article.