DEPRESSION IN FIJI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18275, 16 December 1922, Page 11

DEPRESSION IN FIJI.

AFTERMATH OF THE WAR.

NEED FOR MORE LABOUR.

PUBLIC OFFICER'S VIEWS.

Some remarks concerning the prevalent depression in Fiji were made yesterday by Mr. W. H. Brabant, M.L.C., who occupies the post of Comptroller of Customs and other offices in the Fiji Civil Service. He stated that the depression might bo said to bo the aftermath of the war. Its incidence, he said, was confined to the Government, merchants, planters, and shipping companies, although natives and Indians do not appear to be suffering from lack of employment. The immediate causes of the depression, said Mr. Brabant, were the large fallingoff in Government revenue and consequent curtailment of activity. Another factor was the cessation of the arrival of indentured Indians. This was due. to the Indian Government being under tho impression that indentured labour was a modified form of slavery, whereas the labourer merely undertook to do a very moderate task in tho field in return for his wages, free lodging, free hospital and medical attendance, a free passage from India and return passage when the indenture was finished, besides JeajTiing in the course of his indenture to be a trained agriculturist. The result of a shortage of labour had somewhat raised tho rate of wages and consequently tho Indians were not working as diligently as before. Many plantations wero short of labour for "full production, and the quantity of produce had fallen off. while the plantations perforce were somewhat neglected. The price of all produce had fallen, resulting in some cases, such as rubber, in a cessation of production. The banana industry had also shrunk in magnitude, duo to tho Australian market being closed bv a pro hibitive duty. Mr. Brabant, added:—" All these causcp have been created by the result of the war and have resulted in a depression, and a considerable amount of liquidation. The position, however, is potentially healthy, and the arrival of Indian labour at something like the equivalent of the old rate of pay would quickly restore Fiji to a healthy and prosperous condition. But it is essential that snch labour should be obtained because our principal products have to compete with producing countries which have plenty of cheap labour."