Labor Recruiting in the Solomons.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 278, 3 December 1901, Page 3

Labor Recruiting in the Solomons.

Thf. Fiji Times of November 18th says “The recent labor recruiting cruise of the schooner Toroa was not the success antii I cipated, only 69 men being recruited instead of 200, which she was licensed to l recruit. As this was a great falling off in ' tho estimate, wo havo endeavored to ascertain the cause, but have not been 1 very successful. In tho Solomons it 1 was found that during tho preceding twelve months eleven recruiting vessels had been in the Group from Queensland. Theso vessels offer more inducements than those from Fiji. In tho first place, tho ship receives more passage money, £2o we are told, and they can therefore give more trade as presents to the friends and relatives of the new recruit, Then, again, tho natives understand tho value of money more now than in the old days, and Queensland offers better pay. They offer a new recruit £0 per year instead of £0 offered by Fiji; old hands are offered anything from £0 to £ls per year, while Fiji only gives £O. This means a eonsicierable difference to the labor. Tho restrictions .and regulations laid down by the Immigration Department here are also very severe, and when these rules are interpreted by a Government agent according to tho strict letter of the law they are apt to make recruiting difficult. For instance, tho recruiting boat would go ashore, followed by the covering boat, at a distance varying from 20 to 200 yards off the shore. A recruit having come forward, he would he asked by the agent in Fijian where the chief of the town was, and that individual, or a friend or relative of tho recruit came forward. The agent then asked him in good English wiiat relation the recruit was to him. Of course in almost every case flic question was not understood, and should have boon put in pidgin English. Ife would then ask the man’s friends if they wished him to go, but naturally his friends would not wish him to leave. Sometimes so much difficulty was experienced under the regulations, that in many cases the recruit drew hack in the end. I The Aoha natives could not understand

the proceedings, and said it appeared to them that the Toroa did not want men, as it was not the same as in tho old days. These small incidents combined with other causes and the evident disagreement between the Captain and the Government Agent were responsible in some measure for the small number of labor brought hack to Fiji."