FIJI-NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION 113 
simplest form of animal life, the single cell, and from this he 
acquires knowledge of the fundamental activities of protoplasm. 
In the same way we can investigate the communal villages of Fiji, 
devoid of the complexity of more highly advanced civilization, and 
thus get a notion of the primary activities of humanity as ex- 
pressed in communism, as well as a conception of the natural re- 
sults of the system. 
Major Chappel says, ‘‘There is no ownership in Fiji, no indivi- 
dual ownership. All things are held in common, except the women 
—they are particular about that. If a thing is indivisible, it is 
in possession for the time being of the one who casually remarks, 
‘that’s a nice hatchet or, ‘that’s nice yangona.’’ I have an idea, 
however, that if an object comes into the possession. of one in this 
way that another could relieve him of it by the same procedure, 
and that there is a sort of unwritten law by which the possession 
of a desired thing can be made relatively permanent by common 
consent, although the tenure is insecure if an individual chooses 
to invoke the communal law. A chief, however, can apparently 
secure permanent possession, on the theory that he is superior to 
the law. 
The result of all this is a lack of incentive to the acquisition of 
personal property. The Fijian is apt to answer any suggestion 
that he accumulate property, with the remarks, ‘‘What’s the use? 
It wouldn’t be mine if I did get it.’’ I imagine that this is the 
real cause for the reputation for laziness which they have among 
the whites. In the rural communistie villages the old traditions 
hold and there is no incentive to labor beyond the simple activities 
of their daily life. This is, I believe, the fatal objection to all 
real communism the world over. It offers no incentive, no motive 
for thrift, no urge to work steadily or more effiiciently or to em- 
bark in any enterprise that would result in added comfort or in 
bettering one’s condition above the average of his fellows. The 
biologist believes that every advance in organic life is the result 
of the struggle for existence, or competition, which I believe is a 
better term; there can be no progress without that. 
But there is another and more serious aspect of the ease of the 
Fijian. The Indians, or Hindus, as we would say, were imported 
as plantation laborers or servants under the operation of the in- 
denture system or the ‘‘cadet’’ system as it is called there. The 
men thus secured were usually of low caste, below par as it were. 
The system itself was iniquitous and led to much injustice and 
