FIJIAN LOYALTY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2697, 17 February 1916, Page 7

FIJIAN LOYALTY

ADDRESS BY REV. W. R. POOLE.

At the Petonc Nelson Street Methodist Church last evening, a missionary address, illustrated with lantern views, was delivered by the Rev. W. R. Poole, who has been resident in Fiji for some twelve years. The Rev. J. J. Lewis presided, and there was a good attendance. Many scenes portraying Fijian life were exhibited, and highly appreciated. During the course o? bis remarks ou the attitude of the Fijians to the war, Mr. Poole stated that undoubtedly there had been gross misrepresentation in the statements regarding "disloyalty, as he was of tho firm conviction that there were no more loyal peoplo under the British flag than the Fijian natives. He also stated that it was nothing less than a scandal that natives of the Pacific Islands, who had been evangelised by missionary, enterprise, and whoso Governments had m'sely prohibited the use of intoxicating liquors amongst them, should come to "God's Own Country" for military framing and then he arraigned before th'e Courts, as was the case in Auckland, for insobriety. Surely something should be done to make that kind of thing impossible.