GERMANS IN FIJI

Otago Witness, Issue 3231, 16 February 1916, Page 25

GERMANS IN FIJI

AND NATIVE UNREST. AUCKLAND, February 8. The Fiji correspondent of the Star says: The native unrest is beginning to exercise the European mind there in a greater degree, though there are well-meaning people who ridicule the idea of a native rising. One of the most prominent business men in Fiji, who is friendly with many of the chiefs, after a two months' trip to the Singatoka district, issued a challenge to the Government to disprove any one of five statements, one of which is that several attempts have been made to wreck the Colonial Sugar Company's train. Strong comment is made of the freedom allowed German traders, and on the fact that not one of the scores of Germans has been interned. The correspondent adds: "To what extent German machinations are behind the native unrest is difficult to estimate, but few people in Fiji are now inclined to doubt that the Teutons are inspirators of native prayers for German victories, and the native belief in many districts is that the Germans are bound to win; hence the disrespect on the part of the natives for the Government of Fiji." (From Otjb Own Cobbespondent.) The native unrest in Fiji is beginning to exercise the Euiopean mind. As in the time of Governor Tnurston, when a rising was nipped in the bud by the seizure and transportation to Kadavu of the leading rebellious chiefs, there are not wanting wellmeaning people who have a superlative faith in the loving nature of the native, and who pooh-pooh the possibility of a native rising. Public opinion in Fiji is, however, beginning to get a little bit anxious, and whehter such anxiety is justified the following will show: A CHALLENGE TO THE GOVERNMENT. One of the most prominent business men of Suva, who has been 40 years in Fiji, who speaks Fijian like a native, and who is friendly with .many .chiefs, has just returned from a two months' trip to the Sigatoka district, and has issued to the Government a challenge to disprove the truth of any of the under-mentioned statements. The challenger has handed to the editor of one of the local papers his name and address, together with the names and addresses of his informants (including those of the friendly chiefs), with full authority to publish the same if the Government will accept his challenge to disprove the statements. The statements are: 1. Three prominent friendly chiefs have admitted to friends that they have reason to know that certain tribes contemplate trouble when Apolosi (a Fijian whose oratorical powers and promises have made him a god to the natives, and who has undergone the greater part of his term of 18 months' imprisonment for fraud) is released from prison. 2 That several attempts have been made to wreck the Colonial Sugar Company's railway train by putting iron dogs into the shunts 3. That after the Viti, or Produce Agency (of which the imprisoned Apolosi is the leading luminary), had purchased from the natives of Sigatoka recently all the bananas it required, certain European shippers made offers for the balance, and the natives, in the presence of the whites, slashed the fruit to pieces. 4. On the C.R.S. Company's railway there is a carriage reserved for Europeans. Recently some European ladies wished to travel, but found the carriage chcck-a-block with 60 natives. When asked to leave the natives flatly refused. The train proceeded on its journey; the ladies returned to their homes. 5. In the Sigatoka, Levuka, Lautoka, Ba, and Ra districts publio prayers are being offered by the natives for the victory of the German arms. At the time of writing this challenge has not been accepted; there was hardly time. GERMAN MACHINATIONS. It will probably come as a shock to many patriotic souls .in New Zealand to learn that in Fiji, a British Crown colony, Germans are treated as brothers beloved. Of the many German-owned and German-run trading concerns in Fiji, not one has been interfered with. These estimable German trading concerns have been shipping to America, ever since the war commenced, thousands of sacks of copra and shell—and what else, probably the angels of heaven, the consignors, and the consignees alone know. Of the scores of German residents in Fiji, not a single one has been interned. Not one I It is rumoured that the Govern ment may yet do something in the matter. To what extent German machinations are behind the native unrest it is difficult to say. But few people in Fiji arc now inclined to doubt that the Teutons are the inepirers of the native prayers for German victories, of the native belief in many districts that the Germans are bound to win, of the added disrespect of late on the part of the natives for the Government of Fiji, and of the knock-out blow that the owners of the s.s. Adi got when the natives at Sigatoka recently demanded 105 per day (instead of the customary 2s to 3s) for loading the vessel. GERMAN-OWNED ISLANDS. If the reader will glance at the map of the Fiji Group he will discover the marking of a small island to the north-east, named Naitamha. lying about 20 miles off the Vancouver mail route. That island is at present in the occupation of, and is owned by, a half-caste German who was educated in Germany. It is not the only island in the Fiji group owned and occupied by Germans. AT OUTSPOKEN MAYOR. At the meeting of the Levuka Chamber of Commerce, held a fortnight ago, Captain Robbie (Mayor of Levuka) made the following remarks, which speak for themselves : "I think Levuka stands forward as an exception throughout the British Empire in the facilities it offers to enemy traders. . . It is not only the trading that affects the community, but undoubtedly there is a German influence going _ through this colony of which I can furnish proof; and from among the Fijians in certain parts of Fiji very displeasing rumours are current, and most disloyal utterances are being made with reference to the termination of nostiljtios and the probable victor. Levuka is looked down upon by the whole colony as a harbour for enemy traders, and I think it is high time that this chamber, in conjunction with the Suva Chamber of Commerco, took steps to approach the Government of this colony and insist upon the clearance of our atmosphere."

LACK OF STATESMANSHIP. Dealing with tho necessity for the immediate internment of the Germans, and native unrest, tho Fiji Times, on February 1, made the following pertinent comment: — " As regards tho treatment of disaffected natives, we must leave .that to tho Govern. ment, only regretting that our Imperial statesmen have been so peculiarly shortsighted as to lose the opportunity of binding the natives to ourselves in permitting them to share tho burdens of Empire in this war: if a hundred or two natives had been fighting against Germany to-day ha would needs be a bold German who would strive to convince the relatives of those warriors that Germany was going to win. _ln failing to avail themselves, of the twiceoffered services of one of the most splendid native races in the world, our statesmen have revealed a singular lack of foresight, and have ohecked, even while they boasted of broadening, the Imperial spirit." SOURCE OF MUCH TROUBLEThe reader may ask: "Why, alone of all the British territories in the Pacific, should Fiji present such a condition of affairs? • The answer is simply that Fiji suffers the system of Crown colony Government—that in-itiative-killing, heart-breaking system. In which the real authority rests with tho Secretary of State for the Colonies, resident in London. The officials in Fiji are, on the whole, quite as capable men as are the officials in New Zealand, but they are tleq hand and foot by the native-pampering policy and " mama" of the Colonial Office, which is incapable of grasping the everchanging local conditions, and whose belated decisions, on matters beyond its knowledge, are fraught with peculiar danger at euoh a' time as this.