RECRUITING LABOUR

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13198, 15 July 1943, Page 3

RECRUITING LABOUR

HIGHER PAY TO INDIANS

EAGER TO SERVE IN WAR

Suva, June 2,5

Recruitment of Indians for labour

war service has been undertaken by

the four Indian members of the Legislative Council. The Government, after appealing for recruits unsuccessfully for some time, eventually made terms attractive to the Indians, which included higher rates of pay, with payment for overtime; they will not be required to wear military uniforms or be subject to military discipline, and they will not be sent overseas without their consent.

Fijians have been very eager to join all forms of war service and there has been such a rush of them that the Government has suspended their recruitment temporarily fearing that their food gardens and plantations may suffer.

Sister Gertrude Faddy, lately matron of the Levuka Hospital, passed away at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva on June 14. Sister Faddy had a long and useful professional career in England, Australia and Fiji. She served throughout the Great War in Wimereux in France and Netley Military Hospital, and on her return to Australia was decorated on the same day as the Australian soldier Jacka received his V.C. She was appointed matron at Levuka Hospital in 1932 and retired this year.

The Hon. Dr. McGusty, C.M.G., Director of Medical Services, has been advised by the District Commissioner at Lau of the birth of triplets to Fijian parents. The District Commissioner advised that when on an official visit to the island of Cicia early this month he saw the triplets —a boy and two girls, who were then about two months and a half old, and appeared to have every chance of survival. The Fijian nurse stationed on the island had given the children and their mother every attention, and arrangements were being made for additional suitable foods for them.