Conditions for Fijians

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32774, 26 November 1971, Page 2

Conditions for Fijians

(N.Z. Preet Association)

WELLINGTON, November 25. The wages and conditions of employment of Fijian workers were agreed upon unanimously in 1969 by Federated Farmers and representatives of the Fijian Government, in consultation with the Labour Department, said the Minister of Labour (Mr Marshall) today.

Dr A. M. Finlay (Lab., Henderson) had asked in a Parliamentary question, for the Minister to comment on a

claim by the Rev. O. M. Olds that “no European would work for the wages and conditions faced by Fijian work parties brought to New Zealand by Federated Farmers in association with the New Zealand and Fijian Governments,” and further that an agreement to improve these wages and conditions made between interested parties in July, 1969, remained unimplemented. Mr Marshall said the agreement was subject to review at present. Referring to a complaint about the scheme, he said that initial inquiries indicated that there was little foundation for the complaint, but he had asked for the full file.

Fijian workers employed by tobacco growers in the Motueka district last season were paid award wages and had been subject to the same conditions as other workers, the president of the Tobacco Growers’ Federation (Mr R. W. S. Stevens) said in Wellington today.

He was commenting on a statement today by the Gisborne Trades Council chairman (Mr T. J. Stevens) suggesting that the Fijian labour force did not have the protection of any workers award, and was being underpaid. Mr Stevens said relations between tobacco growers and the Fijians had been most amicable. The workers had been well satisfied with their conditions, the growers had been pleased with their standard of work, and intended to employ them in future seasons.