THE SAMOA JAUNT

Hokitika Guardian, 22 March 1920, Page 1

THE SAMOA JAUNT

MAKOLA AT FIJI

VISIT TO SUGAR PLANTATIONS. (Per Press Association.)' WELLINGTON, March 21. A wireless message from the Mokoia parliamentary party states they visited the Hautoka on Thursday in charge of Mr. Sidey, as the result of the courtesy of the officers at the Colonial Sugar Company. This proved one of the most instructive visits on the tour. In two days they travelled over a hundred and twenty miles on a narrow gauge railway, along the coastline, through, alluvial plains, great areas of which are planted with sugar cane. Sugar is Fiji’s biggest crop, and New Zealand is her biggest customer. There now is no indentured labour in Fiji. The field workers are paid half a crown per day, against a shilling a day before the.war and find tlieir own food. Many Hindoos lease blocks of five acres and grow cane. All the planters are guaranteed for 1920 an average of fifteen shillings a ton for cut cane, delivered at tlie mill free, over the Company’s railways. The crops average about twenty-five tons per acre. The planters are anxious that the New Zealand Government should negotiate with the Sugar Company for at least a three years agreement, in order that a good price be guarnnteeed to the planters for that period, which represents the cropping life of sugar cane. It is stated that as a result of uncertainty, owing to the short twelve months agreement, some are refraining from planting, and no new development works undertaken. The planters contend also that is to the interest of New Zealand consumers to have the price fixed for a longer period. Before the war, they say, the prices was guaranteed for five years. The Company’s Lautaka mill is one of the world’s largest. After the cane is fed into the elevators, it is not touch-ed-through the whole progress till it is sewn into bags and lifted into trucks. The party will now probabiy reach Auckland on the tweltv-fifth.