THE DANGERS OF THE LABOR TRADE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1158, 9 October 1883, Page 1

THE DANGERS OF THE LABOR TRADE.

By the last mail. Messrs Coupland and Co, of Auckland, the owners of the brigantine Oamaru (says the Herald) re* ceived from the master, Captain Goodman, an account of hia cruise to the Solomon Islands and New Britain, which shows how much care has to be exercised. The Oamaru obtained seventy-five men from the island of Mnlatfa, in the Solomon Group, and on the 22nd May anchored in a lagoon a few miles to the southward of Coleridge Bay. At six o’clock p.m. the vessel was discovered to be on lire. All hands were called and it was promptly extinguished. It was found to have started in a coil of rope under the floor of the emigrants deck. It was set on fire by some of the recruits, and as they began to show signs of being troublesome, an armed watch was kept night and day. On the 29th June came to anchor in Coleridge Bay. Here obtained forty-eight recruits in eight hours, all able-bodied men belonging to a village on the mountain range dividing Coleridge Bay from Quiros Harbor, the scene of the Borealis and Janet Stuart massacres. At lour p.m. a canoe came alongside, and commenced to pass a number of tomahawks and axes to the recruits on boaid. They were made to take them back, and the c«noe was ordered off from the side. Shortly after, two recruits from the south end of the, island came off, and stated that the new recruits had asked them all to join them in an attack on the vessel, the boats to be attacked on shore at the same time. Recalled the boats on board, hoisted them up, turned the recruits all below, and set a double armed watch. At midnight one recruit came on deck aud sprang clean overboard, and struck for the shore. The rest of the new recruits with a yell made a rush for the deck. They were forced back at the cutlass point. A boat was lowered, and after a desperate fight brought the runaway on board. At / p.m. next day a light breeze sprang up, 't the bay for Isabel Island. Three of t j ]e ‘ , 'ecruits, who could speak English, aq did the Borealis, but we had 2 ot tl em 18th, HtOpm** 0 ™? the paying Pine all drawn out «. f £ the racks round (he decks and stowed for , ward ' ( A P lan had been laid with the shore natives to come off in canoes to assist to attacking the vessel next day, when * boats were away and the crew alot/ b .®? din S sai!a ; Kept them below next day w anned watch over them while the > atß w ® r ® away. Sailed next day for Su va ‘ rived in Suva August 20th, all w ” hands having been armed day and n 1 for over sixty days, the Coleridge natives being sullen, brutal and obstinate in conduct the whole time on board.