DISCONTENT IN FIJI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16339, 23 March 1915, Page 7

DISCONTENT IN FIJI.

POLICE INSPECTORS BY THE OD^piiv^ '■ ''■ ' ■'" ~~ ' ' ' ■■? -V ':•■'- ?^^ As the law stands in, Fiji,, it'■ that all natives shall be indoors That a certain amount'of laxity has there, is -no doubt (says the Suva - spondent of the Sydney Telegraph). ? : Every Wss week there are cases before the which Fijians are fined for being out:afters§| i hours. Lately, however,' several hauses*oi?g\& white people have been enteredby iia&iY&&§§ and it is alleged that they; have entered '->§&&m houses -with the intention of committing serious crimes than burglariek There :been cases, too, where- white women.-. been assaulted.. The offenders before the oonrt and given the penalty of: the law as it stands—six and 2* lashes. '.■;" .?" ■-. •;■■ .?? '.' "J^k^M Suva is certainly feeling the effects bf^if'S wave of these nocturnal visits,, and'the:uni£®§ easiness of the white: population tobk'ftheS*® form of a public meeting at the which was quitea recprdin ife way. .There ?M . was a crowded attendance,. and thelmeetiH&Sifgf '■was.-.• presided overVby theV'Mayor' Brough), whose home had been visited'ii*3-*l week- before.; /The Mayor said thirds of. the' women and children. 'of r Siiiw?§|S at the present moment werexifraid? to Jre-S?|*l mam in their houses['alone, ■whilethewere afraid to go out and leave; the wqmeii?i|S and ■ children unprotected. V - ' "' ; j.yvi*w-S3?p ■Mr H. M. : 'Scotf..-M,L:a r moved *WlMiL it was imperative, :in-the.= interests pubhc, that there should be a ! more pobce_. control, by .the appbintoent of experienced policemen. ■Hβ the penalty for; entering" a f tent to.annoy a female, which, is the, set out undepr the ordinance,- befrom six months and 24 strokes r of to two years, i The speaker ;attacke4 ::: iHe@M system by -which the important posts in constabulary are filled. . f-■'' ; '•v'..'#i^B "We do not want .Oxford and graduates to come : here and leaftn work," he .said. "They ';may .make; mable citizene in ; other walks, of life,;'but are' -riot suitable for police^officer^-3wJ§ We want' men trained to , the:work/of or more ybars , .standing, '.sucKias could/be£s*|g brought from .Australia or New Zealahd.?J.t= i X i Sp ■Mr H. Marks, M;L:C, eaidie had gon©s=#E into figures. -He had takenone of the ' sub-inspectors sent out: England, and compared the cost," and'iit',' worked out at is '4d an' They: could get much iietter men it M an?£f§ ounce from nearer home. He Fijian police ought to be -w^ped' out altegeiier.; Fyian policeman had never been bf.mucliaist acconnt, and to-day_ .he-; was'• worse ''tliah &s% ever. favour of /mCTeasmg;iSH§ the number of Sikh or Punjabi poJiceanehirftiM The motion was carried [without a sentient. . : . •• : : .'.■.- : "■—\-':; lA^^-^ii&ts&sff At present,the constabulary;: at incidentally Suva, consists who look extremer? pictureeqiie in. .tfeir.Mf blue tunics and white euliis, and i : ;sm»irer 'ss£ number jof Sikhsif/who, under! good ment, make fine, policemen," ; smart. The Fijian, on parade in splendid to look at. u Generations, of ing through. hie " mekkes " or natiye danc-SijfS ing haye. made him a this class of thing; but as a is too good-natured and soft.to' beia The Sikh is not. so good to loot; at uponSS| when marching., Hβ'lacks thevprecision vqf : SS movement and careful' attention; \to ; ment noticeable in the Fijian, but, lie keenness of intelligence, lacking in the of Fiji..' Over : these axe. placed , tie." ates from colleges " - to. guide? and?-:dirert%Spi men, in the case of the Sikhs at any raje, who very often know a good-deal inorebfJ'ft police : matters than ;the yonng- fl»^ni : have qome out from England to the> coli*.?ffc§ nies. .. ? ;'', ; -, '"■■ ?-. . -.--.- ..'■ ' "i"' ■-< w££f^3e At., the meeting one of ■ the .moving pictures fqr.Vhalf troubles, complained' : Whatever ■ eflfeci'«!§§ problem plays at the pictures iriay a white community, is in a; community.of this kind they: dbVaffei*f;Sjthe native mind, which is more primalon.ite~~-!~sfp-'instincts. He sees theee pictures extraordinary imaginings, and takes it forv : Ss granted that thisi is:the ordinary life-of white man, and is prompted to: do "While this unrest is noticeable m'Siiya f while , it may be coupled with.elsewhere in the islands, there isno cauaei*^^

lor any serious alarm —not yet, at any rate."