LOYALTY OF FIJI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19620, 26 April 1927, Page 16

LOYALTY OF FIJI.

THE RECENT ROYAL VISiT. IMPRESSION ON THE NATIVES. " Great Britain should be proud of the loyalty of her native subjects of Fiji and also of their generous spirit where loyalty is concerned," stated Lady Hutson, wife of Sir Eyre Hutson, Governor of Fiji, who was a passenger on the Aorangi from Suva, on Sunday. Lady Hutson is on her way to England where she will spend a long holiday before returning to Fiji. Lady Hutson stated the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Fiji had done much to cement the bonds of loyalty and friendship. The natives had been greatly impressed by the Royal visitors and the story of their visit 'would be recounted in the native huts for generations. "In some ways, lam afraid, the natives are losing some of their picturesque customs and becoming a little Europeanised," she stated. ' Nevertheless, when they are all together at a ceremony for instance they go right back to their old ways and forget their contact with the white man." Great interest was at present being taken in the Save the Children League which was being supported by the medical authorities whole-heartedly. This league aims at teaching the native and Indian women to care properly for their children. Lady Hutson expressed the opinion that this league would do excellent work and materially assist in bringing about the desired results. Lady Hutson was highly honoured by the native race recently when she was made a blood sister—an honour that is very rarely conferred on a white person.