Samoa and Labour.

Samoanische Zeitung, Volume 20, Issue 14, 3 April 1920, Page 3

Samoa and Labour.

CAPT. ALLEN'S VIEWS. In an interview given to a New Zealand newspaper, Capt. 7 E. F, Allen is -reported as follows: ■. '"•' Many of the cocoa and rubber plantations, both British and German-owned, are absolutely stranded for want of labour. This is due to the fact that the Chinese "boys," imported under the German regime, were sent back to China in large numbers by the occupying force, their periods ,pf indenture haying expired. Where possible, growing... crops have been saved, but on most of the plantations they are beingallowed- to rot, and weeds abound everywhere. . The copra plantations, so far as those owned by Europeans —principally Germans—are concerned, are in similar difEculties owing to thie Jack of labour. The labour, -used on these, plantations by the German firms was indentured from the German possessions in New Britain, but many oi these "boys" have returned, home. The only plantations that are free of such difficulties are

those belonging to by the Samoans themselves. There is a very large demand for copra. The whole of the supplies, however, are going direct to the United States, as Britain .cannot provide shipping - facilities between the Islands and .the United Kingdon. It is considered probable, in the circumstances, that the shipments are re-exported from the United States to British ports, as the trade in America is quite a new feature. Captain Allen stated that the position might be eased in the near future, as the Government has sent a representative to China, his mission being to induce Chinese labourers to accept work in Samoa.