Monday , July 15, 1957
The Future of Fiji.
Mr AR Browning today discusses banana production in his third contribution in the series...
"For the past three or four years I have been interested, in one way or another, in banana production in Fiji, and I am struck by the fact that we know so little about it. No one knows how many people are engaged in producing bananas, what acreage is used, what return producers get from one acre or what is possible.
We do not know the best way to plant bananas, what spacing, what fertiliser, whether to clean-cultivate, whether to use shade or not. We do not know whether there are one or several strains of the Veimama variety, which is the principal one grown.
In so far as anyone can reasonably judge, there is a very bright future for a banana industry in Fiji if we can only create one. We can barely be said to have an industry at present, rather, perhaps, a gathering of wild fruit.
The difficulties are not inconsiderable. We have apathy to overcome.
We have the Fijian way of life to change in some ways. We have knowledge to be gathered from experimental work. And perhaps, most of all, we have the attitude of many of our administrative and other government people to overcome.
There is the District officer I mentioned in a previous contribution whose efforts are at least in part, seemingly directed toward undoing any little good that some of us try to do.
There is the Banana Development committee which seems reluctant to disgorge the money it holds in trust for producers.
There is the attitude of those who continually seem to expect the great bulk of the Fijian people to be ready, able and willing, without help, to conduct their efforts along lines which we think best.
FBC sponsors two entries for Miss Hibiscus contest
The staff of the Fiji Broadcasting Commission has decided to sponsor two entries for the Miss Hibiscus contest. They are Miss Roselyn Sell and Miss Joyce Slatter. Miss Sell, 19 was educated at the Suva Girls' Grammar School and employed by the Bank of New Zealand. Miss Slatter, 23, was educated at St Joseph's Convent and is now employed by Grahame and Company.
From the Pulpit yesterday
A farewell message
The Rev. Dr Maldwyn Edwards of Birmingham, England, preaching at the Centenary Methodist Church, Suva said: "What is the greatest way of thinking about God? It is to think of Him as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But when you use those words, what do you mean?
"By the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can know that we are forgiven and delivered and restored. His love is greater than our sin and in the giving of Himself we can be lifted out of the old self-centred life into newness of living."
Wednesday July 15, 1959:
Work begins on extensions to Club Hotel block
Work began yesterday on extensions to the Club Hotel, Suva. Five bedrooms will be added to make a total of 22 rooms.
Three of the new rooms, including the double room, will overlook Gordon street, and will have their own balconies.
Saturday July 15, 1961:
This was how Levuka looked 93 years ago
"Levuka, the commercial capital of Fiji" was the caption of this engraving, published at Melbourne on November 2, 1868. A copy of the picture was presented to Lodge Polynesia, Levuka by Captain HM Frewen in 1957.
The Melbourne publication - its name is not known - explained everything as follows: "Levuka, the principal settlement at present in Fiji, is on the island of Ovalau, and within the last few months has become a place of some importance, being the residence of the Consuls and the Traders. The chairman of the Wesleyan Mission and another missionary reside there also. Levuka consists of six stores, five hotels, an Anthenaeum, a Church and about forty other houses. It is expected , however, that when the Polynesian Company commences operations at the Islands, the headquarters of the whole group will be in Suva, in Viti Levu, or the Big Land."
Villagers build a church
The Chairman of the Methodist mission (Rev SGC Cowled, OBE) will open a new church at Naisausau, Namara on Saturday. The church has been built by the people of the village at a cost of more than 1800 pounds.
Contract for new Housing
A contract worth 23,630 pounds has been awarded by Housing Authority to the Narain Construction Company for the construction 29 houses at Raiwaqa.
Last month, the company won the contract for 24 houses at Lautoka and was also the contractor for the Stage 1 Development at Lautoka, when 38 houses were built.
Russian research ship calls at Suva
Another Russian research vessel has reached Suva. The AI Voeykov, carrying a large party of Russian scientists berthed at King's wharf yesterday after a journey of nearly two months from Viadivostok. She is stated to be engaged on oceangraph work and high altitude experimental work. This is the Voeykov's second visit to Suva. She called last January while on a similar mission.
Governor has made good recovery
A report from London states that the Governor (sir Kenneth Maddocks) has made a good recovery from the accident he had at Venice on his way to England, from Fiji. He slipped on a tiled bathroom floor and injured his back. He is now moving about quite freely and has been spending a large amount of his leave in consultations at the Colonial Office on the affairs of Fiji.