Monday August 19, 1965
Fijian singers perform in NZ
A group of eight students from Fiji singing Fijian songs at a recent concert given by Victoria University International Club, Wellington, New Zealand. Held at the university Memorial Theatr, a packed house appreciated every item. All but two of the Fiijians are studying at Victoria University under Fiji Government scholarships. One Epineri Vula is a private student at the university and Mrs Alesi Dobui is doing post-graduate nursing under a Fiji scholarship.
Multi-racial groups agree on constitutional issues
Chinese, Rotuman, Tongan, Solomon Islands and New Hebridean representatives attended the second meeting between Fijian and European members of Legislative Council and delegates of the Fiji National Congress, the Fiji Minority Party and other Indian leaders to discuss constitutional matters before next week's London conference. The meeting which was held at Suva on Saturday was presided over by Ratu KKT Mara who had just returned from the South Pacific conference at Lae. In particular, the meeting opposed the premature introduction of the common roll.
In particular it was unanimously agreed that whereas the common roll was an ultimate ideal it was highly undesirable that it should be introduced in Fiji at this stage.
It was agreed that various minority communities should have representation in the legislature and that the status of British nationality should be the criterion of representation.
Three men in a punt
A search party set out yesterday from Korovou, Tailevu to look for three men who left Burelevu, Sawakasa, Tailevu on Saturday morning on a fishing trip and had not returned up to last night. The men who set out at 10am in a motor-powered punt to fish near Naigani Island are Vilisi Nadaku (56), of Burelevu, Maritino Veresoma (43) of Natovi and Nemesio Wakanibau (48) of Naigani island. Vilisi and Nemesio were wearing khaki shorts and white shirts and Maritino, khaki shorts and white round-necked singlet. The punt is coloured red and is powered by a five and a half hp Evinrude motor.
Fishermen's 15-hour ordeal in water
Three Tavua fishermen were found clinging to their boat near Vatia Point early yesterday morning after drifting with the overturned craft for 15 hours. The men, Fred Whitcombe, Louis Wye and David Peckham, had left Tavua at 5pm on Saturday for a fishing trip with their 18ft outboard motor-powered craft. It is reported that while turning at speed, their craft overturned and the men, all from Vatukoula, were unable to right it again. The 40hp outboard and its petrol tank were discarded at sea to lighten the drifting craft and the men in a state of exhaustion were found by an Indian fisherman early in the morning after they had been in the water about 15 hours.
Six shops gutted in Tavua blaze
Fire ravaged a large section of the Tavua settlement yesterday afternoon completely destroying six of the centre's large shops and damaging several others. The fire started at about 1.30pm in the store of D Karan Singh Jaswal and Company where it is reported a primus stove burst into flames in the kitchen area and ignited a spilt bottle of methylated spirit.
From there, despite atempts by Mr Dayabhai Patel, a shareholder in the company owning the store, who attempted to stifle the initial blaze with a blanket and received badly burned hands, the fire spread rapidly to the living area in the store and then into the store itself and to adjacent buildings. Other stores destroyed in the blaze were those of Kesovji and Sons, TK Fun, H Keovji, Jackson and Sons and Chanan Singh's garage and workshops.
Governor leaving for London
The Governor (Sir Derek Jakeway) will leave Nadi early on Wednesday morning for London for next week's constitutional conference. He will fly to London via the United States but will not stop over on the way. He is to have discussions at the Colonel Office on Friday on matters connected with the conference.
Lakemba passengers marooned at Lautoka
Two young men, a Canadian and an American, arrived at Lautoka on Saturday afternoon to board a passenger vessel which they had been told would not sail until the following day, and found the ship, the Lakemba had left.
The men, Stanley Gomes of San Francisco and Mr Paul Perret of Calgary, Canada arrived at Suva as passengers aboard the Lakemba last week and took advantage of the several days she would be discharging at the Suva and Lautoka wharves to go sightseeing.
"It's the strangest thing that has ever happened to me, turning the corner to the wharf and seeing only one ship at the wharf which certainly was not ours," said Mr Perrett. Mr Gomes said the authorities at Lautoka had been most helpful in their predicament .