Report of the Commission appointed to Inquire into the Decrease of the Native Population, with appendices.

  • Fiji. Commission appointed to Inquire into the Decrease of the Native Population.
Date:
1896
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commission appointed to Inquire into the Decrease of the Native Population, with appendices. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    the state. It will be well that each Eoko be held responsible that the lala is not abiised by inferior Chiefs in his ])rovince. 2. In reference to any person not complying with a lala, I wonld suggest that a Native District Council deal with any refractory individual for disobedience of local regulations, as such a Council is best acquainted with the rights and privileges of both Chiefs aud people. There can be no doubt but such individual cases will arise, and the conduct of one insolent aud turbulent fellow, if unchecked, does much harm in a district. 3. The indiscriminate taking away of food and animals by individual Chiefs or tlieir retainers, is no doubt -Ml evil, and ought not to be allowed. Of course, under the direct authority of the Eoko and for public purposes, the case is different, as the people contribute readily. 4. No Chief of whatever rank should be allowed to lala out of his OAvn pro^^nce or district, not even when he possesses hereditary or customary rights to do so, though this is a case where some difficulty may arise for a time. But much more serious difficulties are to be ap])rehended from the allowance of the jn-actice than'from its prohibition. A Chief having such rights or privileges in more than one province can always elect which he will reside in, that is, of course, if he is not an official. The custom of Eokos helping each other in times of any special effort is open to most serious objections, both from its tending to increase the burdens of the people, and liability to cause jealousy amongst those Eokos not actually engaged. There is another custom so nearly allied to the above, which is known as begging, but in a Fijian sense it means much more, as the party solicited is not always free to refuse, and a native is always ashamed to refuse to give anything asked of him. Eor tliis last reason only they will not infrequently give, if solicited, all tliey possess. It would 1)0 difficult no doubt to introduce any ])rohibitory la-ws, but a word to the Eokos for • them to discourage begging as much as possible will do good, and there can be no doubt the custom will soon die out. SOLETU-ING. Before closing this paper, the custom of solevu-ing ought perhaps to be noticed, though it does not come under the head of lala, it is very nearly allied to, and ofteii calls it forth, and as there are some evils connected ^^ ith the custom that need correction, perha])s a short description would be best. A Chief or Chiefs, or the people of a Province, District, or Town, being in want of some articles will send to those of another Province, District, or Town, aud request them to solevu, naming the articles they are in want of, and perhaps the articles tliey AA'ill bring in return. This being accepted, the day will be fixed, the proposing parties, unless otherwise specially arranged, visit their friends to present their property, and receive what is given in return, and both lots are again divided out to the contributors only, so that it will be seen the c-ustom partakes very much of the nature of an ordinary nrarket or fair, and so far there does not ajjpear any oljjection, but I'ather the contrary, as it promotes emulation aud industry, besides facilitating the interchange of the products of different places. But there are two evils that may be pointed out, and which the Eokos can with little trouble correct. One is the pre])aration for these solevus so entirely absorbs the time and attention of the people as at times seriously to interfere and obstruct the carrying out of provisioiuil or local reguhitioiis, and the second is when the visiting parties prolong their stay, and thereby cause their e))terta.inment to become oppressive to their friends ; and this is particularly the case when they live at such a distance as to necessitate their travelling by water, when foul winds may detain them on a coast for weeks together. DAA^ID WILKINSON.