JAVA TO-DAY.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 8 September 1920, Page 3

JAVA TO-DAY.

‘ ‘ ARABIAN ii IGHTS ’ ’ rOIi’i’UNEB.

WINTERLESS ED-uIi—GOOD TO GET OUT OF.

(From ‘‘The Dominion.”)

‘‘Java,” says Air Byron Brown, of Wellington, who has just returned from that country, “is the most populous and important island, of the Dutch East Indies. No larger than the North island of New Zealand, it holds a popu mtion of about forty millions. Only j bo,ooo of these are Europeans, mostly Dutch, with a good sprinkling of the high-toued commercial Britisher. Ihe island is at present a welter of wealth, producing, as it docs, ail the tropic commodities that have been bringing such high prices during the war and up io the present. Most of its imported wares are made in Germany, and its laws are made in Holland. its local administration is in the hands, without let or hindrance, ol’ its European maim- , facturors and merchants. We Nee Zealand merchants are credited with knowing something about profiteering, but our puny knowledge pales into insignificance besides that o I the British, Dutch, and Chinese commercial men of Java.

• ‘ Stories arc told of colossal ior--tlines piled up in the last few years that remind one of the tales from the ■Arabian Nights.’ A sugar company with a capital of one million paid, last year, in dividends over six millions. Chinese speculators in ruboer, tea and coffee are credited with making vast fortunes in one year. The biggest merchant Jim iu Java is Britisli-owned and managed. Its activities extend Car and wide, and its enormous profits, concentrate into the pockets of three Britishers. Sugar costs 5 cents per lb to produce; it is retailed at JO cents (HJd). Malay labour is paid JO to 00 cents per day, but it doesn’t cut sugar. AH the cities of the Dutch East Indies are celebrated for three things—prices, perfumes, and profiteers and they are all ‘high.’ “In Batavia, a muddy, iilthv canal jluivs through the town. All day long scores of Malay women stand waist deep in this lluid, washing the visitors’ clothes. Its odours are ‘spicy’ enough, but not like the ‘spicy breezes that blow soft o’er Ceylon's isle.’ The hotels are well conducted and fairly sanitary, but, like Air Toots’ tailor, ■very stylish but very dear.’ Twenty guilders (£2) per day is quite moderate. The traveller hears about congestion and cables l'or a room. He arrives and drives up in all confidence in be shown his apartment, only to be told that there are no reservations. He hires his taxi by the hour and drives the length of the perfumed canal, crosses it a few time, calling at all the hotels of lesser degree. ‘House lull, why didn’t you cable?’ is the only response. You go back on your tracks, and by offering a bribe to the clerk who got your cable, a room is secured., or failing this, you accept hospitality, at high rates, in a dirty boardinghouse overlooking the canal —no extra charge for the view. One is apt to think it is the Oliiro Home transported to Batavia, but as all the aged needy beg _ in the streets by day, and doss in the j parks at night, the first impression wears off iu time. These old men and women are marvels of repulsiveness. Noses eaten away, feet or toes half gone, naked bodies full of sores and the ribs protruding. The British. Dutch. Chinese, and a host of ‘lesser breeds without the law.’ drive by in fine motor cars and choke with dust these lesser humans who inhabit this, so-called, wealthy Java. Java is boasted of by the Dutch as the richest country in the world. "A rich country can only be judged bv its wealth per head of population, and if we took the economic way, and divided Java’s wealth by its forty millions of people) we would prove it the poorest spot ou God’s earth. Tlio cities of the Dutch East Indies are all alike —dirty, stinking, teeming and unsanitary. No attempt has been made at town-planning. They have just happened. and their extensions will go on happening until the crack of doom. The Dutch are piling up a lot of trouble for themselves iu the production of half-castes. These number more than the European population, and some day they will lead a revolt ■in-ainst the economic inequalities. The Malay ‘king’ of Java is -a pensioner of the Holland Government. He l; kept quiet by a yearly payment, and allowed to keep up some form of comic state as a mock king. "These islands attracted buyers of, merchandise from all parts of t 0 world during the war. and up till two months ago. In June last the Americans were swarming in Batavia and Surabaya. They were offering iabulous prices to outbuy the other fellow and these enterprising commercial men led the procession everywhere. But one fine day in June each one got a cable: ‘Cease operations immediately; return.’ American woke up to find she was suffering from over-produc-tion, a slump was at hand, and she was recalling her buyers. That slump is on now. and Java, with the rest of us. is going to suffer a commercial reaction‘‘Java is much advertised as a tourists’ resprt. It really is a beautiful island and has sights worth seeing. J but its climate is unbearable. There is I no winter: just a wet and dry season--1 The heat never let up on you. Isight ' and day the same temperature; the j same brazing sun, the. same azy • atmosphere, the tame-wiaalfcfi ' and days, the same filthy sight, anc smells. Every Britisher is longing fo*. the day when he will have monoenough to get out. Clerks m mercantile offices get £IOO to £6OO per year. Chinese are employed because the}

can't get eonugh Britishers or Dutchmen. The boat I*ravelled by took a few New Zealanders who had been tempted by high wages, and who hs" taken, billets in offices- They were

under contract, or would have returned by the next steamer. Malaria gets the newcomer unless he is very careful and temperate. ‘‘The rank tropic growth is everywhere except on the high mountains but the malaria-carrying mosquito is übiquitous. Alotoring is ideal. The roads arc many, varied and-good. The eternal palm shades them, and the quick motion, without the wind screen, is the only respite from the heat that the traveller gets. The railways arf well managed and not too expensive. They run well to time-table, but always stop when night falls. All the work is done by Atalays; engineers, guards, porters and even stationmasters. No white man engages in manual labour in the Dutch East. The Malays do everything and do it very cheaply and fairly efficiently. To the intending visitor to Java, I do not say ‘don’t.’ Let him provide suitable tropic clothing for his party, screw his courage to the sticking point, and be prepared to perspire until there is nothing left of him but. his sins.”