The Fiji Times excerpts from September
September 1
FIJI Government ministers refused to agree that all regulations they make should be subjected to approval by Parliament. The Attorney-General, John Falvey, told the House of Representatives that he partly sympathised with Opposition criticism of the extent of ministerial powers. But ministers insisted they must keep those powers, he said.
September 4
THE Supreme Court convicted a Western Division farmer of murder and imposed the death sentence on him. It was the first such sentence since Parliament restored the death penalty after a five-year trial suspension.
September 5
POLICE offered a $2000 reward for information about the murder of Australian schoolteacher, Phyllis Ada Furnival, 41, at Davuilevu on December 11, 1970. Announcing the reward at the police headquarters, the Commissioner of Police, Tom Handford, said he had just made the decision to offer the reward.
September 6
A PARLIAMENTARY committee recommended a new Parliament building in Suva costing about $4 million. It has suggested that an international design competition was needed for the project. The committee recommended a site on Battery Hill at the corner of Vuya Rd and Sukuna Rd.
September 7
THE founder of a British service organisation for young people has suggested having a youth volunteer scheme in the Pacific Islands similar to the American Peace Corps. Dr Alec Dickson said such a scheme could help create a sense of national unity in countries such as Fiji. He said it could also help the University of the South Pacific.
September 8
Opposition challenges that some Fiji Government ministers and assistant ministers were customers for illicit guesthouse sex brought angry demands for names in the House of Representatives. As government ministers challenged the Opposition to produce facts or withdraw the charges, one Opposition member shouted that signed statements from guesthouse managers could be obtained.
September 10
THE Fiji rugby team opened its tour of the British Isles and Canada with an astounding 31-0 victory over Swansea at St Helen's Park. The Fiji team showed all its traditional dash and flair as it delighted 20,000-plus crowd with a brilliant scoring spree.
September 11
PACIFIC Daily (Fiji) Ltd which owned the weekly publication, the landlord of condemned buildings the Suva Health Department described as among the "worst eyesores" has received an order to demolish three houses it owned along Mark St.
September 12
SCORES of people made false claims for the $200,000 interest-free housing reconstruction loans offered by Government after hurricane Bebe. The claims were for repairs to non-existent houses or damaged houses and in some cases, had come from civil servants in Government quarters.
September 13
A BA Company tried to revive clothing for men's fashion scheme which flopped under New Zealand ownership. The managing director said his firm had paid $5000 for knitwear machinery and stock which the ill-fated Sonny Elegant (Fiji) Ltd, of New Zealand, brought to Fiji.
September 14
FIJI shoppers had to pay two different prices for sharps and flour following a shipment from Australia. A spokesman for the Prices and Incomes Board admitted this could cause confusion. Flour and sharps that arrived in the Tongan ship, cost three cents more than the normal price of 10 cents.
September 15
AN eight-month old baby was the victim of two separate rat bites. One of the bites split the baby's ear lobe and left part of it dangling. Doctors at Nailaga Hospital stitched the ear on.
September 17
THE Speaker of Fiji's House of Representatives, Raojibhai Patel, was to attend a parliamentary conference overseas despite an earlier Government move to withhold money.
September 18
NAVUA tenants may try to buy more than 1000 acres of land involved in a massive real estate deal in the district. The Minister for Lands, Ratu Josua Toganivalu, said he would seek information about development plans for the land. Ratu Josua said the tenants had cause to be worried.
September 19
WORK on the rugged Suva-Deuba stretch of Viti Levu's $20 million new highway project would begin next year (1974). The project manager, Jack Clark, said the contractors were doing investigatory drilling for bridge foundation near Suva. The contractors, Dillingham Wilkins Green, had already opened up more than seven miles of route for the first section connecting Nadi to Korotogo.
September 20
A SHOUTING match involving Fiji's Attorney-General, John Falvey, and the Opposition Whip, Karam Ramrakha, made the House of Representatives adjourned for 10 minutes. After the adjournment ruling another figure in the row, an Alliance backbencher, Maleli Raibe, crossed the floor to the Opposition seats for a chest-to-chest confrontation with Mr Ramrakha.