CONDITIONS IN FIJI.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17220, 10 August 1921, Page 6

CONDITIONS IN FIJI.

INDIANS AND SUGAR INDUSTRY. (SPECIAL TO "THE r-BESS.") AUCKLAND, Augast 9. The present position regarding the sugar industry in Fiji is detailed by a correspondent, who writes from Suva under date of August Ist. Ho says: While all the sugar mills in Fiji have started crushing, and many of the Indians in the disaffected districts have returned to work, there are thousands of Indians still idle. Some of the leaders have been imprisoned, but the others are fighting hard, hitting back at the Government in an endeavour to embarrass the industry in the- country. The Indian Government has advised that a committee, consisting of u European and two prominent Indians, one of whom is Sastri, the Indian delegate to the Imperial Conference, will visit Fiji to enquire into conditions affecting the Indians here. At the same time, the embargo on Indians leaviua India for Fiji was*withdrawn, so far as those who could pay their passage money were concerned, but there aro hundreds clamouring to leave Calcutta for Fiji. Many Indians who have gone.to India from herb during the past two years find life there very much more stivnuoub than in Fiji. Others wish to come because of good reports they have heard of this colony. Some'7oo. were booked by the steamer Clunab to. leavo last month, but the strike leaders herecabled to India that such loads of Indians would not help to end the strike, and praying the Gandhists in India, to protect them by blocking emigration. In this wily move tbvy have so.far proved successful, and advices have reached here that the Ghenab's sailing lias beeu cancelled. The Government have cabled'to India that th« strike has been broken, and the men are daily returning to work, and active correspondence is now passing on. the position, but so far no news of the embargo having been lifted has arrived. "Some extraordinary statements are being cabled from London to the Press of Australia and New Zealand about the conditions here, stating that it is <l<mianded. that the indenturing m.Fu of Indians shall cdase, and that Indians shall be allowed to take up land earlwr, than' after a five years' residence and indenture, and bo on. This is all moonshine. All indenturing of Indians automatically ceased in Fiji in January, 1920, after the passing or legislation by the Government in 1919.. All Indians in Fiji are frea ngents, and can hire themselves to whom they will. Again, any Indian can take up land at any time if hj& has the means to do eo; m fact, it has been easier for Indians to take up land than, for Europeans. A great deal of' misrepresentation of Fiji has been purposely circulated during the past couple of years."