March 31, 1971

School in Navua were to go on a strike unless a licensed teacher was re-employed at the school within seven days.

THE British Government was to pay 90 per cent of the construction and equipment costs for the new Labasa Hospital. A Government spokesman said Britain would provide $765,000.

SEARCH and destroy operations were conducted by members of the Naibalebale Fishing Unit to control increased number of starfish in waters around Viwa Island and Yasawa.

FUTURE models of the Australian-built Volkswagen vehicle line did not appear on Fiji roads because of high import duty charged by the Customs Department.

OVERCROWDING on school buses caused concern among Suva school principals and an approach to the police was said to have had no result. The principal of Suva Grammar School, C.G.B Ussher said overcrowded buses had been a constant problem.

A FIJI public company, Hunts of the Pacific

Ltd had made local commercial history by gaining control of an Australian-owned company in Australia. It was believed to be the first time a primarily Fiji-owned business had established itself in Australia in that way.

THE population of Fiji at the end of 1970 was 524,457, it was 10,740 more than at the end of 1969. There were 225,102 Fijians, 266,189 Indians, 9523 part Europeans, 6512 Rotumans, 6837 other Pacific Islanders, 5286 Europeans and 5008 Chinese.

A PLEA for the abolition of capital punishment had been made to all members of the House of Representatives and the Senate by the Methodist Church in Fiji. The issue was to be debated during a session of Parliament.

FIJI bus drivers seek a 42-hour, five and a half day working week. The secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union, J.R Narayan, said members who attended the annual meeting in Suva decided to seek the new hours to replace their 48-hours, six-day week.