FIJIAN TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 121, 16 February 1920, Page 8

FIJIAN TROUBLE

THE PRESENT POSITION CABLEGRAMS TO THE GOVERNMENT ..ArMessago was received by the Defence i Minister (the Hon, Sir James Allen) on Saturday morning from Major Puttick, "Whp, is in/.charge of the New ■ Zealand troops on tie Tutnnekai. Major I'uttick. states ■ i "Arrived well 7 a.m. 12th. Situation obscure, particulaily in. northern and western districts, with which no communication since 11th, telephone line being .cut . previous .reports to the 11th state strike not extended to that area and everything quiet. Rewa and Suva areas telephone, cut, bridges damaged hy Indians. Minpr rioting at Suva on the 11th, an<l at'Nnusori a few injuries on the 12th'.' Wo bloodshed yet, situation appears somewhat threatening." His' Excellency the Governor-General has received the following telegram from the-.Governor of Fiji:—"lndian ftrike serious. Collisions occurred in Indian quarter of Suva on February; 11, when n number of strikers, who were ljing in wait for~loval workers, attacked the police, and badly injured three European special constables. 'Order was ft once restored, and numerous arrests were made." "February .12—Disturbances broke out nt Eewa, amounting to a riot, but the police and defence forces showed admirable restraint under extreme provocation, and quietened the. disorder without resorting to extreme measures. Steps are being taken to control the movements of the Indians of Suva and neighbourhood, and to afford protection to thoso (>f?iring to,return to work. Thero : b, as v et, no news as. to whether agitators havo succeeded in extending the strike to the north coast and west coast of the main island; or whether the recent offer of 'lie Colonial Sugar Refining Company to the Indian cane growers and workers is likely to be accepted." Mr. H. E. Holland, If .P.. pave a lecture in tho Alexandra Hall last night, under the nuspices of the Social Democratic Party, on "Tho Fiji Stride and What is Back of It." He assured his audience that.British administration had caused poverty and misery in India, where half the revenue was "snont on militarism to kesp the people in subjection," and where millions of men, women, and children received one meal a dar. or less. Indian cooliss, he said, had boon taken to Fiji to work on the nugar plantations in order to make profits for capitalists. He proceeded to read descriptions of labour conditions on 'he sugar plantations, written befora the abolition of the indenture system. Mr. Holland contended that the present trouble nt Fiji was 'due to the efforts of the coolies'to better their industrial conditions, and ho protested against the use of New Zealand soldiers to keep the coloured workers "in subjection." The Labour numbers intended to oollect all, the information possible on the subject during their visit to tho Islands with the Parliamentary, party.