DEVELOPMENT OF FIJI

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21745, 30 March 1936, Page 4

DEVELOPMENT OF FIJI

. .■ ♦ - OPERATIONS OP COLONIAL SUGAR COMPANY

HARMONY IN POLITICS

The part played by the operations of the Colonial Sugar Company in developing Fiji was mentioned by Mr R, Crompton, C.8.E., K.C.. of Suva, in an interview in Invercargill last week. Mr Crompton said that in the early days of the company's operations the indentured system of labour was in operation. The company then cultivated large areas. To-day all Indians were free. The sugar company divided its land into blocks of about 10 acres and gave these to the Indians to cultivate, the Indians receiving payment on the sugar content of the crop. The Indians did well on this basis and many were , leasing native lands to. increase the area they had under cultivation. Experiments were being made to induce the Fijians to become sugar growers, but at present mpgt of the natives employed by the company were labourers. The sugar-growing districts in Pni were very little affected by the worldwide depression. The bounty offered by the British Government for sugar, which was passed pn to the growers, kept the price u-Pr The copra industry, the, second ip importance in the islands,' had suffered severely, and the districts in which this commodity was produced were still feeling the pinch. "The rate pf exchange on London to-day is 14 per cent.,” said Mr Crompton, and I am satisfied that, having regard to the petmiiar circumstances of trade in Fiji, the colony is right in not haying a higher rate. We did for a short period work on a rate pf 25 per cent., but we soon found that the disadvantages greatly outweighed the advantages.” Mr Crpmpton mentioned that in years gone by Fiji received nearly aff its imports by way of Australia,' but 'tc-dl|y there was'an excellent system pf direct shipping with Britain. This was a boon to the colony. About once a month a large vessel discharged from 3QOD to 4000 tons gt ffuva. There had recently been considerable .activity in gold?mihing development in Fiji, and two of the Mg undertakings showed miich promise. There was no party system in politics m Fiji, which was administered by a Legislative Council consisting pf *l2 Government appointees, am Europeans elected by ballot, three Fijians chosen by the Governor from six names submitted by the natives; and three Indians elected by their own people. All members of the council spoke good English, and harmony prevailed m all the proceedings, Taxation in Fiji was much fighter than in New Zealand. ’