LIFE IN BORNEO

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1933, Page 6

LIFE IN BORNEO

REDUCED SURVEY WORK

NEW ZEALANDER’S EXPERIENCE

After three and a half years of surveying work in Borneo and a further LJ months of town planning experiencc in Great Britain, Mr C. 0. Barnett returned to New Zealand last week »y the Rangitata. At one time .luiiy young New Zealand surveyors jcciued engagements with the survey department in, the Federated Malay States, but Air Barnett stated that as a result of the depression the opportunities for employment in that service to-dav are few and far between

Mr Barnett, in an interview, said chat immediately prior to the depression there weie eight/ New Zealand surveyors in Borneo but the number was now down to three. His own engagement had been for four years, but it had been reduced to three and a half years, and if things went on the way they were at present it seemed that some of the terms of the remaining employees would be reduced to three yeais. Rubber was the main industry of Borneo, and as the result of the fall in revenue following the drop in price it had been necessary to curtail the survey service.

Most of the survey bosses were Asiatics. The staffs consisted chiefly of Indians and Filipinos, who were the technical people. The labouring work was done by Chinese and Malayans. The European side was con lined to supervision, control and specialised work. The headquarters were Jesseltoii. The survey department in the Federated Malay was practically controlled by Australians and New Zealanders. At one time there was a staff of 80, of whom oi) were New Zealanders. The staff had been reduced very considerably, and lie considered the opportunities for new meii very, very few.

“The life in the Federated Malay States,” said Mr Barnett, “is quite <» good one for a single man. He can have a. good time and save money, but for a married man it is a aog’s life. It might he all right for a married man with a station, but one has to be out> there some years to be given the charge cf one. It is-quite possible for a single man to be stationed out there for four years, have a good time, and come out at the end of his time with £IOOO in his pocket ; not that I am able t 0 do that.”