FIJI SUGAR SEASON

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10992, 30 August 1921, Page 3

FIJI SUGAR SEASON

ALL HELLS' NOW CRUSHING. SUSPICION OF INCENDIARISM. SUVA (Fiji), August 20. All the sugar mills in Fiji are now crushing. The C.S.R. mills are in full swing, except .at Lautoka, where, a shortage of Indian labour is hampering crushing somewhat. The Penang Company’s mill has sufficient labour for the mill, but not enough for caneeutting, but is endeavouring to get Fijians to help in the fields. The Vancouver-Fiji Company’s mill at Navua Shaving bad luck. It commenced crushing on Tuesday, and on Friday the old smoke stack, 120 ft high .and Bft in diameter, was blown down, and, in falling, so affected a, newer one (10ft in diameter) that it had to be pulled dSAvn. The staff are busy re-erecting a new one, and it is hoped 'to re-etart operations in a few days. The damage is estimated at £IOOO. In the Nadi district a few weeks ago a planter, Hr Herricks, had some 800 tons of cane burned, and now news comes that Hr J. Doyle, the largest sugar-planter in Fiji, has had 4600 tons of cane burned. It is not known how the fires occurred, but there is a strong suspicion of inoenThe Indian leaders are getting more desperate as she rank and file struggle back to work, and it is felt that they may proceed to some extremes before they give up the struggle. There are still many thousands of Indians out on strike, and many of these are moving over the colony, and some are selling their stock and farms. ’