PLANTING IN SAMOA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22518, 8 September 1936, Page 13

PLANTING IN SAMOA

PROBLEMS OF LABOUR CHINESE WORKERS' EFFICIENCY [EROM OUR. OWN COBRESPON DENT] t~ l l - f '-' 'r?kklk, August 25 THe; planting in; Samoa-if at present cQncemea owing < to ,• the rumoured repatriation of 200 Chinese cooligs next year and the balance Jthe following year. Wljfen the goodwill m sion'was here both the Hon. F. La gstone and Mr. J. O'Brien made it very clear that they did not favour Chinese la \*ery few * jfcuropeans do favour Chinese labduf when an equally efficient class is Available, but when it is a mdtter of utility and dependability, when a/crop*has'to be garnered in an expert and expeditious mannei, planter must secure labour upon which le can depend. These attributes the coolies, generally, have, for rarely will one down tools on a flimsy pretext and leave the planter m a predicament. When plantations were not so tar advanced or scientifically worked as at present it was found necessary to have imported labour, and Solomon Islanders and Chinese were introduced. Ihe former were for the manual labour and the latter were more adapted for the skilled parts. Local labour was tried ' time and again, but the monotony ot constant work did not appeal. < From time immemorial the Samoan has not had to toil for aJliving. Nature has blessed the lafld with a rientifiil and varied source of_ food with t minimum of labour. If a J* be evolved to give the _ Samoans an- urge' to work on the plantations', the planters will gladly come it. The,W have been seeking the solution for half a century, b»t so tar have failed. There are exceptions, but they are very few. Certain gangs wor the steamers. This gives them 20 30s a month and satisfies them. lhe> do no mere until the next steame arrives Should the Government insist upon carrying out its scheme of prohibiting the import of Chinese, or other equally efficient labour, then; the opinion held, the doom of the Samoan plantation industry is| sounded. It win »o impossible to carry on with nat ' * o labour, especially if the higher wag • clause is tacked on to it. ihe cost o - living in Samoa is fully 50 per con above that of New Zealand. One planter, who works 180 acres of c ° ' copra and" bananas, told the go o delegates that he was forced to live at an average cost of 9s a week. Other are in a similar position owing to the Poor.ieturns from thek.produce. >Vitn■°*»t industry Samoa/would bein a state. It il K ctafi r' Jst- t: "'