The Indian Cane Growers Association was formed on 28 September 1919 and was based in Ba Province, one of the cane growing districts in the Western Division of Fiji. It was led by Theodore Riaz and included some well-to-do Indian cane farmers from Ba, like Ramgarib Singh and Randhir Singh. The Association proposed a scheme for co-operative stores and an agricultural bank financed by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company but the company refused to finance it. The Association asked for a higher price and Indian cane farmers refused to plant any more cane. The company made concessions, although it refused to guarantee the price increases for future years. The company refused to continue the bonus in 1921 and in the ensuing strike, it was Vashist Muni who assumed leadership of all cane farmers in Fiji.
Famous quotes containing the words indian, cane and/or association:
“Though I had not come a-hunting, and felt some compunctions about accompanying the hunters, I wished to see a moose near at hand, and was not sorry to learn how the Indian managed to kill one. I went as reporter or chaplain to the hunters,—and the chaplain has been known to carry a gun himself.”
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