FIJI.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 July 1924, Page 16

FIJI.

INDIAN COLONY. Outsiders hardly realise how large an Indian colony there is in Fiji (states the Suva correspondent of the New Zealand Herald). From a very small beginning, when the sugar companies brought out the first hatch, the Indian community has grown, until by natural increase they threaten to outnumber the natives. There are at present fully Go,(XL) Indians in the colony, and they are increasing at an abnormal rate. A great improvement among the Indians has lately been noticeable. This is partly due to increased improvement in the inode of living, and paitly to more, education, and. of late, -partly to the coming of many Pimjahoes, many ex-soldiers, all very fine types of men, hard-working arid very independent. The Punjabees like their independence. They have lately been taking up large areas of bush land. The rapidity with which they clear it and get some money out of it outvies the industrious Chinaman. They clear a. small area and at once plant some crop which will vield a quick return, such as bananas or taro >r melons, and pumpkins, and pines, fn this way, with a very small capita s they manage to eke out a living. Tliev work every day in the week, and lately have been seen to be making use of co-operation, by forming mutual help groups, and so increasing the value of their labour. Such an example has hr*' 1 a very marked influence upon the old type of Fiji coolie. The latter ha c children already in many cases mar-ied These people see the value of education. and whenever possible schools are availed of to educate the children. Some of the wealthier have oven >-ent their children overseas to New Zealand.