Fiji

[Louis the fly]

More about the local Fijian kids.
It takes a long time to load a full cargo of sugar by hand so we got to know kids very well. By our standards they had little or nothing but in other ways they had everything they needed. Loving, caring parents, food from their animals and gardens, fish from the sea and the freedom to roam without danger. The Fijians are a warm, happy people always smiling and laughing. At least they were then, this was many years ago and the world has changed.
The kids began to bring us horses in exchange for a couple of packs of cigarettes. After work we would throw a sugar sack on the horse and ride into town, very slowly because the horses kept veering off course looking for better grass and plants to eat.
After the bar had closed a crowd of drunken seaman would somehow manage to get back on the horses and they got us to the ship, luckily the horses knew the way back as most of us were flaked out over their necks.
Many happy memories of Fiji.

[cappy]

Your right on the kids louis we had a stowaway......opened a broom locker and there he was......he had earlier brought us a canoe with outrigger about 25 ft long so we could go fishing ......i was as surprised as he when i opened the locker .......he said he wanted to go to ......merry england to see robin hood....didnt have the heart to disillusion him.....we had a get together what to do ...but decided it was best to tell the mate .as we were bound for japan ...whoopee.....we changed course and a boat came out from a small island and we sent him off ....crying ...a fine young lad.....he must be in his 60s now .....bet he hasnt forgot that .....ps you still off the fags ....even with the wedding and all that.......cappy

[Captain Kong]

Here is a photo of Lautoka in Fiji, I was there last year and we tied up next to the Sugar berth. Loaded by conveyor now.
Also a couple of friendly Fijians.
Cheers
Brian

[Richard Quartermaine]

It is good to read the comments of those of you who have visited Fiji all those years ago and thank you Louis for opening the opportunity and Brian particularly for the photo of Lautoka waterfront and that lovely one of Anne in a tapa print skirt by that avenue of royal palms. My sister lived for decades and raised her family on that hill beyond which was then the CSR (Colonial Sugar Refinery) residential area in those days. The road depicted below is the main highway North from Lautoka to Suva in those days via Ba, Raki Raki, The Waini(m)bokasi and Nausori. It was always hot and dusty but in the last years I was there (late 1960s) an aircon was installed when I pointed out to a visiting superior from Australia and did the trip that our manager in Vancouver had a heater in his car.

All I will comment on as to the past is that it is the past, Britain respected the Fijians and were in return respected the British administration which abided by the terms of the Deed of Cession drawn up under the reigns of Queen Victoria and King George C(th)ako(m)bau. A Fijian friend is a true friend. Sure, when the Native Land Trust Board gave Fijians assistance to farm in the form of a bullock and fertiliser it was an invitation to sell the fertiliser to the Fiji Indian farmers and eat the bullock. Nothing remains the same; Fiji has it's independence and the warts that develop from that 'freedom'. I Skype my (now) my equally aged Fiji Indian chief clerk in NZ for a natter.

On Monday my sister, now living in Australia, is coming up here to collect me to take us down next day to the Southern Highlands to the funeral service for my late eldest brother's wife, Lucy who passed away last week aged ninety three. They were there when I was fourteen years of age and flew the nest that contained a cuckoo. It is a sad time but sixteen years ago I addressed the eulogy for my late brother and on Tuesday I will do the same for Lucy. My nephew is driving us. He was born in Fiji and after some sixty years there now lives here.
Best wishes to you all. Richard

[gray_marian]

Richard, Sorry to hear your sad news regarding your sister in law.

Always a pleasure though to read and view your photographs of Countries which you have enjoyed. Thank you

[Captain Kong]

Thanks for the photos and Comments Richard. Always interesting.
I am off to the South Pacific again in January but no calls to Fiji this time, Just Miami, Costa Rica, Panama, the Marquesses, Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatai, the Cook Islands then Auckland , Bay of Islands and Picton, across to Melbourne and Sydney before going North to the Queensland and the Reef and Darwin . Bali, Java, Viet Nam and Hong Kong. then fly home. We will only have two days in Sydney.
Cheers
Brian

[Louis the fly]

Another memory just came to mind.
When we left Fiji the ship stopped and anchored off Apia, think this is American Samoa. We were working so could not get ashore but the cook and the steward went as they had the afternoons off. A local guy took them in his canoe and then on to the nearby village. They sat in a circle and the natives performed a traditional dance, then passed the hat around, they put a couple of shackles in the hat and the natives danced again. After the third dance they were skint and this did not go down too well. One of the tribe threw a stone at them then the rest joined in, the cook was a little fat guy who could not move very fast but him and the steward ran as fast as they could back to the beach. This puts another meaning to " having a run ashore ".

[Des Taff Jenkins]

HI Brian.
The more things change the more they stay as they are so the saying goes. in the 50s Used to run Auckland, Melbourne Fiji, Tonga,Auckland with the USS.
Great times, looking at your pictures some of the places havn't changed much.
Cheers Des

[Captain Kong]

Hi Richard,
if you are referring to what I wrote about the French , .....................
.The same has happened in Tahiti. All the land was for all the people of Tahiti, then the frogs took over, They took the land off the Tahitians. They have been building houses on the Tahitians land, and encouraging froggy french people to emigrate there, Soon More French people than Tahitians.
They have destroyed the Tahitian Culture, an Island that was once self sufficient but now has to depend on the frogs.
They are now part of the eu and a province of france.just like Normandy. So instead of testing Nuclear Weapons in france tho` they said it was safe, they exploded 210 Powerful Nuclear Bombs at Tahiti killing the Tahitians off with Lukeamia and cancers and deformed babies etc,
.

At least Britain gave all their colonies Independence.
The French refuse to do so and are ripping these poor islanders off. it is disgraceful they way they are treated.
I am a frequent visitor to Tahiti and its Islands and have many friends there, they do not like the French one little bit, the French Bully them, con them and rip them off.
There is a very strong movement there against the French, they banned the teaching of English in schools, only the French language is taught. I was there this year and was Presented with a Tahitian Independence Flag, a great Honour,
. I will be there again in January to see all my friends. Not a word of French is spoken, just Tahitian and English, I have been learning their language and they love me for it when I speak to them in their own language. The French do not speak to them in Tahitian, only in French. an alien language to them.
When the Tahitians objected to the French Nuclear Bomb Tests, they sent in the French Foreign Legion to beat them up. The Tahitians had no chance against a well armed occupying foreign Army.
So the frogs have nothing to be proud of in their colonies.
Go there, get to know the Tahitians, a lovely race of people, and far Superior to any Frenchman.
. Ia orana , Mai Tai.
Brian

[Richard Quartermaine]

The British way:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Land_Register
Having a sort of AWOL trying to catch up with a backlog with a lot of interventions
Richard