Review of Fiji in The London Times

THIS article was the first of two on Fiji and was taken from The Times, London, British Colonies Review. It appeared in The Fiji Times on Thursday, January 3, 1957. The author was Dr W.R.Geddes of Auckland University College.

When the Fiji Islands were ceded to Britain by the paramount chiefs in 1874, the population numbered probably about 200,000 and was made up almost entirely of native Fijians.

The latest published estimates give a population of 333,389 but of this number only 143,100 are Fijians and 160,303 are Indians settled or bred in the colony as a result of the system of indentured labour, mainly for the cane fields, which began in 1879 and ended in 1916. Thus the Fijians have become a minority in their own islands.

They are a minority only numerically, however.

They own nine-tenths of the 7040 square miles of land in the colony.

In general welfare, in average wealth and in administrative concern, they are in a more fortunate position than the Indians.

Although their gross reproduction rate of 2.29 a 1000 a year is still below the Indian rate of 2.95, their present population is a remarkable advance from the low figure of 83,000 reached in 1919. Since their affairs have remained in a large measure distinct from those of other peoples in the Colony, it is possible to discuss them separately, although the larger demographic context should be kept in mind.

An administrative structure has been evolved from the traditional social order.

The Fijians lives in patrilineal clans sub-divided into smaller groups with chieftainship at all levels determined by seniority of descent.

This is still the basic social structure. But by the time of the cession of 1874, the clans had been combined into a number of larger confederations controlled by an aristocracy of chiefs, graded with itself, exercising power over the local hereditary. After cession provinces and divisions were declared, corresponding as closely as possible to the old confederations and their sub-divisions.