LAND OF PROBLEMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22405, 12 August 1947, Page 4

LAND OF PROBLEMS

FIJIAN ISLANDS LANGUAGE DIFFICULTY» INDIAN QUESTION "Fiji is a land packed with problems, owing to the different races which people ihe islands. There arc difficulties of language and-many racial problems,’’ said Mr. W, E. Donnelly, speaking to members of the Gisborne Rotary Club at their weekly luncheon yesterday. Mr. Donnelly spent 12 years in the teaching profession in Fiji. The Fijian language was a phonetic one, which had been compiled by missionaries about 100 years ago, said Mr. Donnelly. However, it was very deficient. in ideas and many English words had been Fijianised. Education was neither compulsory nor free in the islands and there was a great, shortage of teachers. About 75 per cent of the Fijiaq boys and 65 per cent of the girls were in schools where, there was at least one certificated teacher. Amongst the Indians about 60 per cent of the boys and only 20 per cent of the girls were at schools. A few had reached the secondary school stage, but not many. Islanders Education Minded The Fijians had become very education-minded and there were many more pupils offering than were able to be catered for. Many pupils reached Standard 6, which was an accomplishment. as they reached the same stage in English as children in the equivalent class in New Zealand. This meant that the Fijians were bi-langual. The important thing was to raise the standard of life in the Fijian villages, said the visitor. The power of the chiefv in the villages was less than it used to be, and this power was being replaced by the leadership, of the Native Department. The Fijian form of communal life and old customs were difficult to overcome and leadership was necessary to help smooth things out. The problem of whether the 118,000, Indians on the islands would become British subjects or whether they would remain foreigners when India became independent this month, was one which was exercising many minds, concluded Mr Donnelly. He was of the opinion that they would remain foreigners, and in this case Fiji would have the problem of having a majority of foreigners living in the country. The speaker was thanked for his address by Mr H. E. Chrisp, chairman for the day.