JAP COLONISATION IN BRAZIL.

Northern Advocate, 22 August 1913, Page 2

JAP COLONISATION IN BRAZIL.

In contrast to California's attitude towrad the Japanese, Brazil is offering alluring terms to encourage the settlement of Japanese labourers on its farm lands. Japan has, cf course, accepted the invitation with alacrity and is about to send a contingent of 3000 emigrants. Should this experiment prove a success she will send Brazil some 4000 anually for several years to come. How anxious the Brazilian authorities are to attract Japanese settlers may be gathered from the inducements which they offered to a Japanese emigrant company at Tokyo. As reported by the Fiji (Tokyo), these inducements include: (1) a free grant of 122,500 acres of land in the state of Sao Paulo; (2) the privilege of acquiring more neighbouring land as the Japanese colony grows; (3) the establishment of agricultural experiment stations and schools at the cost of the Government;

and (4) the payment by the Government of transportation for every immigrant In consideration of these privileges the Japanese immigration company is under obligation co send to Sao Paulo at least 100 families of

agricultural settlers a year for five years beginning with the current year.

The above offer was made by the State of Sao Paulo in 1910, when its legislature passed a special law authorising the executive department to carry out the plan. Since then sever-

al Japanese agents have made careful study of the soil and climatic conditions of the sections where the projected Japanese colony is to be located. The investigation revealed, the Fiji informs us that the land is eminetnly suited tor the culture of rice, a staple, which is in great demand in Brazil. Dr Yazukuri, one of the agricultural experts who inquired into the matter on the spot, publishes the following statements as to the general prospects of Japanese immigration in Brazil: —

"There are a£ present some 4000 Japanese immigrants in Brazil, mostly employed on coffee plantations. These immigrants, like those from other countries, had the major part of their transportation paid by the Brazilian Government. As the chief source of its revenue is export duty on coffee, the Government is anxious to increase the production of coffee by attracting foreign labourers for the plantations

"Both the Government and the public are decidely friendly toward the Japanese. They seem to think that our labourers are most reliable, frugal, industrious, and less addicted to the habit of drinking and gambling than labourers of other nationalities. The Brazilian people entertain no prejudice against the Japanese. There is no discrimination against the Japanese in the matter of naturalisation, although the peoples of other Oriental countries are not admitted to citizenship. Any Japanese who owns land in ■Brazil or who has married a Brazilian woman can become a citizen.

"The leniency and large-mindedness of the Brazilian Government are almost amazing The Japanese immigrants who are now in the country are mostly contract labourers, bound by contract to work on the coffee plantations fr a certain number of years. But some of these immigrants do not observe the terms of the contract and seek more remunerative employment than that offered by the plantation. And yet the Government has never interfered with the action of such faithless immigrants, declaring that no legal action will profit the Government if the immigrant himself does not feel morally bound to adhere to the terms of the contract under which he was brought to the plantation -.