THE ISLANDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1920, Page 5

THE ISLANDS.

DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT, LABOR AND OTHER PROBLEMS. NECESSITY FOR INDENTURED LABOR. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Resuming the discussion on the report on Island trade, in the House of Representatives this afternoon, Mr. Sidey thought the Government should have brought down concrete proposals, especially dealing with Samoa. Regarding education, the Government should make use of the mission schools. The Government officers should be men acquainted with the native languages. The grievances in the Cook Islands and Samoa were, to some extent, he believed, due to the fact that spirituous liquor was permitted there. Trade with the Islands could and should be increased, and New Zealand should have a more plentiful and cheaper supply of Island fruit, which could only be possible by a properly organised shipping service. Referring to the labor position in Samoa, Mr. Sidey said it was beyond question that there is not enough Island labor available to work the plantations, and whites could not work in that climate. The commission had been informed that 3000 to 5000 laborers were required to work the present plantations, and enlarge the area under cultivation. An important consideration to be remembered, if Chinese were employed, was the danger of the deterioration of the native race. He quoted suggestions by Mr. C. Brunsden Fletcher, who, dealing with Fiji, thought the lahor troubles coujd be solved by a proper selection of Indian labor. Mr. Sidey considered that proper medical attention to improve the health conditions would result in considerably increasing Island populations, so they could supply their own labor needs. OPPOSED BY LABOR. Resuming, the discussion in the evening, Mr. Holland said lie would confine himself to the question of labor in we-.tern .Samoa, Ho proposed to divide the 'House ou the question of indentured labor, and would move that all words after "that" in the formal motion be omitted, and the following substituted: "This House records its opposition to the continuance of indentured labor in western Samoa." Mr. Holland remarked that while Dr. Soli's administration was fair to a certain point, the natives were being gradually denuded of their lands by big planters, German and other. While the Parliamentary party was at Samoa a deputation of British planters waited upon them and said the Samoans will not work people cannot work, and that it was necessary to import labor. The competition in labor available during war time had resulted in the wage for a Chinaman being raised to £i 10s, and for Solomon Islanders to £2 per month. They pointed out that Captain Carter was then in China endeavoring to get a fresh supply of Chinamen, and they further stated that if he had gone to the riaht place he could have got labor at 30s per month. Failing a supply from this quarter they suggested labor should be got from Dutch Java, which labor was available at an exceedingly low rate. These people still have respect for Europeans, and would stick to their masters, which, by inference, meant that Chinamen had ceased to have respect for Europeans. They had been told that the Samoan would not work, out the reason for that was that he could earn for himself as much in one day as the planters paid for a month's work. What lion, gentleman, he asked, would work one month for one day's wage! WHAT SAMOANS THINK. They were told last session that if indentured laljor was not agreed, to the mandate would be endangered, but he now found nothing of the kind was the fact, because the Imperial Government was against indentured labor. The New Zealand Government, behind the back of Parliament, had. gone to the Imperial Government and to the Australian Government and begged for indentured labor, knowing all the time that this policy was opposed to that of the Colonial Office. The only people who had a right to declare in favor of indentured labor in Samoa were Samoans, and they were opposed to it. Mr. Lee: Where did you get that? Mr. Holland: I got it from the Samoans themselves when at Samoa. They were prevented from getting officially the Samoan viewpoint on this matter, but he had got it privately, and he did not find one Samoan who favored indentured labor. They were particularly annoyed at the sight of half-caste children. The fact was the Samoan Would work but not on coolie conditions or wages. They said they were just as good as Europeans, and what was not good enough for the European was not good enough for them. They said the reason Chinamen were wanted" in Samoa was because they were c.tcap. "A BOX OF TROUBLE." In seconding the amendment, Mr Howard said that in taking over Samoa we were taking over an immature Ireland. Why had wn. taken over this box of trouble? If for the purposes of defence, then indentured labor was the most unwise step we could take, because if trouble came from the north it was strategically unsound to pass a rfream of yellow labor through those Islands, thus letting Chinamen and Japs 'know what wo were doing there. If from a food 'production point of view, then there was more land lit for cocoanut growing in Queensland than in all the South Sea Islands put together. Mr. Isitt said indentured labor was merely being turned into a political "."iuut'' by the Labor Party. It had been said that the Samoans opposed indentured labor, but he claimed it was i exceedingly difficult to get at the'back of tlie Samoan mind. Mr. Bartram discussed the relations of Chinamen with Siimoan women, and declared the chiefs hail been told by the ppoplp to declare at their meeting with : members that they were against indentured labor. The'chiefs did not do so, and ho deliberately charged the .Samoan adniiiHN'.-rtitioii with having got at the chiefs to prevent them making known the wishes of the people Mr. Potter declared that the domestic conditions existing between Chinamen and Samoan women were satisfactory. There were white women living with Chinamen in Wellington to-day in conditions not so good, and yet the Labor Party raised noSvord of protest against this practise in our midst. I I Jfe, JJ. ,F"iiiTir uttiMiiriUiMtlMllllilii^ifj