FIJIAN TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1920, Page 3

FIJIAN TROUBLE.

NO INDENTURED LABOUR. TIMIARU, Feb. 10. From a reliable source a representative of the “Tima ru' Herald” was able to gain some information in regard to the labour conditions in Fiji, which has interest in connection with the present Indian trouble. Contrary to the general impression in New Zealand, there is no indentured labour in Fiji? Importations of Indians, under the indenture system, ceased some years ago, and contracts lapsing since that time have not been renewed. To the begin, ning of this year an arrangement was made with the planters by which those contracts which have not expired were forthwith terminated, and the only Indian labour now is free labour.

A fine spirit was shown by the planters in allowing the contracts to be cancelled, because at tbe time when this was done it was the middle of the planting season, when labour was of the greatest importance to them. A great proportion of the Indians now in Fiji, it was explained, did not go there under the indenture system, but were born in tho islands, and are children of those imported at an earlier period. They were.free Indians, 1 who had never been indentured at any time. When the contracts expired under tho former indenture system, the Indian labourites had it in their power to go back to India, hut almost all of them preferred to settle on the islands, of which the Indian population now was very large. It was easy for the In- t dians to obtain land for themselves, and they were encouraged to do so by the Government. The present trouble ! is doubtless mixed up with the increased cost of living. The price of rice, the chief food of the Indians, had gone up by leaps arid hounds, and the import would he cut off entirely by the Australian engineers’ strike. All the rice came from Australia by the Burns. Philp steamers, which were not run- , ning to the islands now. Tf tlib freeworkers were asking 5s a day, that would be a high wage for Indians who required very little To support j them. Rice would grow well in Fiji, j and a mill had been established by the i Government, but neither the Indians nor the Fijians care to grow it. One j complaint against the indenture system when that prevailed, had been caused by the great I ' disproportion between Indian men and wflinen, and from a cast motive it had been urged since that a special hospital should be provided for Indian women, at which only women should form tho staff. ’That was a difficult requirement to fulfil. Generally speaking, the Indians in Fiji showed little concern for cast. Allegations had been made that when the influenza raged, a year ago, Indian sufferers were neglected by the Europeans, but no statement could lie more njitrue. English girls worked in attending (be Indians till they could hardly stand. Generally speaking, the Indians .have been peaceful workers, though ope , small strike, under the indenture sys-| tern when that prevailed, was reinem- ( bered by this informant. Trouble, bad j been made of late by a few agitators, j and it was surmised that the Indian : population generally must be siding ] with the workers who had made demands, or the 'Governor would not j have thought it necessary to appeal te j New Zealand for the protection of tb i white inhabitants. It was most im- j probable that the Fijian natives , would make any joint cause with the i Indians,