Ratu ''Ratu'' () is an Austronesian title used by male Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, ''adi'' (pronounced ), is used by females of chiefly rank. In the Malay language, the title ''ratu'' is also the traditional honorific title to r ...

'' Penijamini Veli (1874 – 27 August 1938) was a

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

an chief, civil servant and politician. He served as a member of the

Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...

from 1937 until his death the following year.

Biography

Born in 1874, Veli joined the constabulary service in the mid-1890s. In 1898 he took over responsibility for road building in his district and went on to build over 250km of bridal track. In 1902 he visited the United Kingdom as part of the entourage of

Adolph Brewster Adolph Brewster (1855 – October 1937) was a British colonial administrator in Fiji. Biography Brewster was born Adolph Brewster Joske in Melbourne in 1854, the son of the businessman Paul Joske.coronation of Edward VII The coronation of Edward VII and his wife, Alexandra, as king and queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on 9 August 1902. Originally scheduled for 26 June of that year, the ceremony h ...

. He became a sub-inspector of native constabulary in 1906, before being appointed

Roko Tui ''Roko Tui'' is the title for the executive head of any one of Fiji’s 14 Provincial Councils. Each province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which ...

Macuata Province Macuata () is one of Fiji's fourteen Provinces, and one of three based principally on the northern island of Vanua Levu, occupying the north-eastern 40 percent of the island. It has a land area of 2004 square kilometers. Demographics The pro ...

in 1909. Although he later retired, he was subsequently reappointed to the post. He visited the United Kingdom again in 1924 as part of a tour to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the

Colony of Fiji The Colony of Fiji was a Crown colony that existed from 1874 to 1970 in the territory of the present-day nation of Fiji. London declined its first opportunity to annex Fiji in 1852. Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau had offered to cede the islands, s ...

. The Legislative Council was reconstituted prior to the

1937 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1937. Asia * 1937 Philippine local elections * 1937 Iranian legislative election * 1937 Soviet Union legislative election India * 1937 Indian provincial elections * 1937 Madras Presidency legislative a ...

to have five Fijian nominated members, who were chosen by the Governor from a list of ten submitted by the

Great Council of Chiefs The Great Council of Chiefs () is a Fijian constitutional body. It previously existed from 1876 to March 2012 and was restored in May 2023. It is different from the House of Chiefs, a larger body that includes all hereditary chiefs, although m ...

. Veli was one of the ten nominated,Fijian Chiefs Would Hand Over Land to Government
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', November 1936, p63 and subsequently one of the five chosen by Governor Arthur Richards. In April 1938 he was awarded a Certificate of Honour by the Governor.Honours for three Fijian chiefs
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', May 1938, p53 He died in August 1938 aged 64.Ratu Penijamini Veli
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', September 1938, p11

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Veli, Penijamini 1874 births Fijian chiefs Fijian civil servants Members of the Legislative Council of Fiji 1938 deaths