Archive for category history

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Blast From The Past is a weekly (or somewhere around that timeframe, as I claim ‘Fiji Time’ as my defendant) post of scans from a 1969 Fiji Times paper which also doubled as a 100 year anniversary issue look back at 1869. Every week  one page scan will be posted, allowing you to have a read of issues, politics and topics that was the Fiji of the past.

When I think of the newspaper life of old, in my head it’s the more romantic view of monsterous printing presses running hugh sheets of paper with the front page with its attention grabbing headline spinning into view, smoky, film noir offices where noisy typewriters and squinting journalists rush about with their stories, perhaps a guy running to tell the big boss editor important news, by which he bursts back out through the double swing doors yelling, “STOP THE PRESS!“.

To be honest, such a scene did exist. Just not in Fiji. The Fiji Times of 1932 was a much different animal back then, on a smaller scale and run by the ever shrewd editor and owner, Alport Barker (who has a library named after him). This page gives an in-depth story from the viewpoint of a Mr R.W. Robson, the man who, after a long back and forth between him and Barker, would later, in 1956 (ironically, 3 months before Barker passed away), become the owner of, at that time, what was a casual 4pm released, 4d ‘newspaper’, and according to Robson, the source of many a nightmare.

His attempts to upgrade the paper was met with much difficulty, from an old printing press nicknamed “the galloping bedstead” which was still being used since 1890, the journalist who got his news over the telephone and no where else, to delivery boys who had to deliver papers to addresses with no numbers, thus relying on local knowledge or for some, just plain giving up.

A hard job indeed, but with his dogged determination, and the help and inclusion of Sir Leonard Usher as editor, Fiji’s own paper was starting to take shape and become the daily source of news that we are now familiar with today. Good lord I sound like I’m being paid to advertise for the Fiji Times. But you have to admit, this paper has some pretty hefty history behind it. And with Blast from the Past, history is what its all about.

Story to be continued next Blast from the Past.

Click on image for zoomed view

Blast From The Past is a weekly (or somewhere around that timeframe, as I claim ‘Fiji Time’ as my defendant) post of scans from a 1969 Fiji Times paper which also doubled as a 100 year anniversary issue look back at 1869. Every week one page scan will be posted, allowing you to have a read of issues, politics and topics that was the Fiji of the past.

In the previous blast from the past post, the Fiji Times was happily purring along in its news operations based in the original capital of Levuka, content in the knowledge that the capital wasn’t going anywhere. When there was talk of moving to Suva, the company was most against such a thing. But history has said otherwise, and so in 1881 the Fiji Times opened a branch on Renwick Road, after which the two papers kept in touch using both sea mail and in 1884, the pigeon post.

Apparently, pigeon post was the fastest method of news delivery, with pigeons making the journey between both branches in 30 minutes. Hows that for service. They even had lofts built into the buildings to cater for this new form of transport. I’m guessing the IT guy version in those days would be the pigeon keeper.

Since the move, it became apparent that Levuka couldn’t hold its own as well as its new capital, since Suva was fast becoming the main economic powerhouse. Eventually, in 1886, with many a heavy heart, Suva became the defacto headquarters of Fiji Times Ltd. Since then they’ve come a long way, having at one time published their paper at 1 dime (or ten cents), established 3 sister papers (the Shanti Dut, the Hindi paper, the Nai Lalakai, the Fijian paper, and at present, Kaila, the weekly paper for young people) eventually coming under Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp via the Australian The Herald.

Little known fact: Suva’s sister city is Beihai, Guangxi, in China.

Click image to view the zoomed version

Blast From The Past is a weekly (or somewhere around that timeframe, as I claim ‘Fiji Time’ as my defendent) post of scans from a 1969 Fiji Times paper which also doubled as a 100 year anniversary issue look back at 1869. Every week one page scan will be posted, allowing you to have a read of issues, politics and topics that was the Fiji of the past.

Origin stories are always fascinating, especially if describing the humble beginnings of mighty empires. The Fiji Times has had a colourful history dating back to 1869, and since then has undergone many company takeovers, managerial changes and corporate mergers. Situated in the then capital of Fiji, Levuka, the Fiji Times has born witness to the ever changing life of Fiji, and over time amassed a great collection of stories and articles that show us how Fiji was in the old days.

For instance, according to this page, late 1800s Levuka was basically the wild wild west, with “no form of government whatsoever.” Tis a pity really, I was hoping that Fiji had some sort of local sheriff that chased criminals, had a cool six shooter and rode often into the beach sunset. Strangely enough, Levuka was more civilised then needing any form of gun slinging justice, and differences were solved in a rather interesting manner.

Say for example, you and Jone had different ideas on your wife’s after hours activities involving one very defensive Jone. Now, gentleman rules state that you can’t just go to his house and beat the crap out of him. That’s so barbaric. And since there’s no government, there’s no judicial system. No judicial system, no fancy wig wearers to hear your claim. So what do you do? Why tell everyone else of course.

“Gather ’round folks!” You yell, perched on top of some non-descript wooden shipping box in the middle of the town square, “gather ’round and let me tell you a tale of dark desire, of betrayal most dear, of love lost and sold to the nearest lark!” Basically, you have to almost put on a show in a public place (preferably town itself, though the local tavern offers the same numbers with the added bonus of reduced straight thinking thanks in no small part to alochol), and tell everyone what exactly is pissing you off. It’s almost as if you’re trying to make a case to the jury, which in this case, is the public in general. And don’t forget, your opponent a.k.a. Jone, is also in the other side of town, doing the same thing, preaching to the crowd of how he has been wrongingfully accused, and how he must clear his name for his family’s sake.

After making a public spectacle of yourself, further dialogue is added to the latest issue of the Fiji Times, with the paper acting as interceder on behalf of the community. It is after this however, that it gets a tad cloudy, with the article describing the matter as “…generally ended”. I’m not quite sure exactly how, after creating all that hoopla out in town and in the Fiji Times, does the matter get resolved, unless some sort of voting was drawn up to finger out the guilty person amongst the two arguing individuals, or, at least in my head, a free for all, last man standing boxing match is organised, with the winner declearing his side of the arguement true. Woah.

Admitedly, the actual article is about 3 men who made the Fiji Times into the news conglomorate it is today, but I was pretty much side-swiped by the near aside description of how differences were solved. I mean, no government, no sheriff, every man for himself?

I call ownership on the inevitable movie script that will be written about this period of Fiji’s history. I can just picture it now.

(Deep movie trailer voice) “In a time when there was no law…”