§ 1. Mr. George Jegerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what discussions he has had with the Government of Fiji on the subject of independence.
§ Mr. JegerIs my right hon. Friend not aware that the New Commonwealth reported him recently as having said in Fiji that the United Nations Special Committee on Colonialism was interfering with the affairs of Fiji, and that he, the Minister, said that Britain was in no way bound to honour the Committee's Resolutions? Is that a true report or is it not? If it is true, does it not apply equally to Gibraltar as well as to Fiji?
§ Mr. LeeI cannot answer on whether I was correctly reported, but I certainly believe that whilst we are in charge of British Colonies we will make decisions which are binding upon us all. Our 1152 policies, as I have said many times, are that if Fiji or any other Colony wants independence, and can sustain it, we shall see that she gets it.
§ Mr. FisherWill the right hon. Gentleman proceed very cautiously and very slowly in this matter raised by his hon. Friend, because, as he knows, there arc perhaps partially genuine fears by the Fijians of Indian domination if we go too quickly here?
§ Mr. LeeI thoroughly agree with the hon. Gentleman. I was replying on the principle of our colonial policy. As the hon. Gentleman knows, a new Constitution has just been brought into being for Fiji. They recently had an election upon it. It gave universal suffrage, and I think that we should now allow Fiji to go ahead with the new Constitution and work its way through.