The Washington times., 1917-04-13

German companies, through their
representatives in the islands, becom-
ing aggressive. In most ways the
group was in a state of chaos, and at
length, feeling that order should be
restored, Britain annexed IL. Tha-
kombau's proffer was accepted on
terms, and he was saved from a dan
gerous rival.
FiJi's Lucrative Trade.
Fiji, with its present lucrative
sugar, bahama and copra trade, lin
which Australian and other capital is
invested), and its potentialities in
rubber, has a great future in store
when the war is over. But with this
future are complicated several press
ing question. These are land, labor,
and native aspirations embodied in
the watchword, Fiji for the Fijians."
The land problem is most involved
and serious, since 1t stands in the
way not only of immigration, but or
the progress OF the Fi1ians them
selves. The Fijians have been termed
"a race of landlords" And so they
are, for the native-owned agricultural
lands of the colony amount to almost
4,000, 900 acres, and the alienated lands
amount to but 25O,O00 acres. The
tribal communal system of ownership
which prevails among them and their
exaggerated idea of the value of their
lands present a thorny situation,
which is readily appreciated, but
which no administration has yet
courageously tackled. Meantime much
land is lying idle which, II 1t could
be properly surveyed and leased by
the natives, would be very profitable
to all concerned. This land problem
dates back to British annexation, and
is attributed to the indefiniteness of
the terms of that action and the well
intentioned but mistaken policy of
the first governor, Sir Arthur Stanley
Then, there is the labor question.
The Fijian climate, although called
the most healthful of tropical eli
mates, is one in which whites cannot
do much manual work. Therefore, to
supplement Fijian labor, which, like
all other South Sea labor, is essen
TALLY more or less limited and uncer-
tain. Indian coolies have been i'm
ported-particularly to work the plan
tations OF the Colonial Sugar Rein
ing Company. All of the Indian labor
was obtained under the indenture sys-
tenn, but with the expiration of the
flve-year terms of many of the Hindus
there has latterly grown up in the
group a sizable class of independent
aliens, which competes against the
Fijians in the labor market and
threatens to dictate terms to the
whites.
VIII Not Return.
Furthermore, these free. Indians
uytII mt raffrn fo India apd fbau ara
barred from immigration to Australia
and New Zealand by the white" pol
icy OF those countries. This naturally
makes in some cases for unrest. Yet
another phase of the problem is that
whereas every white employer in Fill
is resolutely OF the opinion tina. the
colony cannot succeed without Indian
labor-or Chinese-the. Indian govern
ment laid 1t down lately through
Lord Chelmsford that there must be
no more recruiting OF Indians for
overseas labor fields except under
rigid supervision. 1t is feared in Fill
from this that there will be a cur
tailment of labor from that quarter,
and Fijian enterprises will suffer ac-
cordingly.
As to Fill for the Fijians"-possi-
bly, owing to hazy comparison of the
colony with Hawaii-there had arisen
in the group just at the beginning OF
the war a remarkable spirit of native
agitation and cohesion. To the under
standing of the whites the reasons
for this feeling were somewhat OBJ
scure and inchoate, but there was a
strong and unmistakable undercur-
rent of II throughout FIJI and doubt
less II will manifest itself more clearly
after the war. Apparently, II was or
e a feeling of nationalism- Consid-
erable antipathy prevails between the
Fiiians and the thousands OF Indians
who have been fastened on the col
onv. the latter being looked upon as
outlanders. And probably deeper still
Is a fear that, because the Indian
popuIation IL increasing and the
Fijian is stationary, the latter race
will undergo not only dispossession,
but gradual extinction.
The exponent OF this unrest Is
Young man named Apolosi, carpen-
ter. a commoner, and a product OF
mission school. Two years or more
ago Apolosi tried to organize an all
FfJian company, but failed, and sub
seduentIy for acts considered dis-
turbing to the peace of the colony
he served a jail sentence. But he Is
a forceful orator, and, though what
Is in his mind is not plain to the
whites, he is looked upon by the mass
of Fijians as a savior. 1t is likely |
that in the adjustments which will
follow the war he will be heard from |
again.
Out Of a white population in Fill |
of about 300. about 100 men have been |
officially sent to the front and are |
fighting in the ranks of a British |
regiment in France, and about 200 |
other men are serving with the Aus |
traIian or New Zealand forces. Two |
Fijian chiefs are at the front, one |
with the French and the other with |
the New Zealanders, and the native |
gifts OF money for war purposes have |
been profuse. Within the last few |
weeks the colony, in addition to |
previous war loans, has ioated one |
of 1,1S6, 900.