Situation In Fiji Termed Alarming

Press, Volume C, Issue 29634, 3 October 1961, Page 16

Situation In Fiji Termed Alarming

(New 2«uan4 Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 2. An ugly situation which could bring disaster to New Zealand’s doorstep was developing in Fiji, said Dr. R. F. Watters, a senior lecturer in Geography at Victoria University of Wellington, tonight.

Addressing the Wellington Business and Professional Women’s Club, he described the the country as a social laboratory which was interesting to the scholar but alarming from the human being’s point of view.

Th« essential need was for the Fijians and Indians to subordinate their narrow racial interests for the good cd Fiji, he said. He said ha considered a bold Government policy was necessary to encourage the establishment of a united, multi-racial society. As things stood now, both peoples were extremely likeable in different ways but an unhappy situation of “more and more acute hatred” was growing up between them. Outlining possible solutions to the problems. Dr. Watters said the Fijian Government could give the lead by designing a school system which would bring the children of the two races together. At present the majority of schools were either for Indians or Fijians. Self-government at the loeal government level might also be a way of bringing the two people together. Unfortunately. at the moment the Fijians, who had a separate local body system, bad refused to agree to thia Insitutions that bolstered the separation of the two peoples Should be abolished.

The Indians must be given a better deal on the land, he said- This did not mean that the two races should be equalised on the subject of land rights overnight. If toil were done, the Indians would soon be to an economic position in which they could dominate the Fijian. Aa things stood now the Indian contributed about twice as much to the total national wealth as the Fijian