THE MAN SUPPLY.

Observer, Volume XL, Issue 27, 6 March 1920, Page 2

THE MAN SUPPLY.

Black, Yellow, or Merely British?

THE Koyal Colonial Institute sat at Christchurch lately and poured out an old idea or so. Mr. J. D. Hall, for instance, said something ought to be done to attract ordinary British farm labourers, and added (probably as an attraction to them) —"they are slow, but loyal to their employers and country." You will observe that the gifted colonial employer appears to regard the people of Great Britain as a' distinct race. '

It always makes one wonder where the pioneers came from and how these slow' persons, to whom Royal Colonial Institute people condescend* ever came to lay the foundations of a prosperity that even Mr. J. D. Hall enjoys.

Other gentlemen of eminence, who it is sincerely hoped are not "slow" like the people of Britain (who, thanks to us, won a war and gave the honour to -the "Doughboys"), have ideas about the necessity of population, too.

Here is what-Mr. M. M. McCallum, chairman of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, is reported to have said on the subject of. the Labour difficulties, ' 'The best remedy

he could suggest was a vigorous immigration policy, or, failing this* the importation- of fifty" or a> Btfndred thousand t& fee returned when their we**-was done."

Mr. M. M. McCallum is to be chairman of the "Profiteering Tribunal" for Auckland.

AVould the introduction of a hundred thousand Hindoos to New Zealand solve the ' ' lack of skill among workmen the Welfare League.is worrying aboxit?" Would the introduction of Hindoos be sufficient to make a large town sweeten the domestic life of this country? Would the swarming of indentured Asiatic labour to New Zealand stop the "profiteering" that Mr. McCallum and his colleagues, Mr. Wesley Snragg and Mr. Phelan, have been "appointed to "put down?"

If we are to be hospitable to mere Britons, is it possible that competition for jobs between them and Hindoos will be for the benefit of society? If Hindoos in Fiji kick over the traces, might they not kick- over the traces in New Zealand?

It is true that a few Hindoos in the Waikato have been "playing up" lately. If you increased the number of Hindoos to 100,000, would it reduce their disposition to "play up?"

You must assume before you permit a horde of Asiatics to compete with the mere Colonial British and United Kingdom British that the Indian Government would aid and abet the scheme. You will also agree that the Chairman of the Profiteering Tribunal is a more than ordinarily courageous person tocounsel wholesale importations of Hindoos. If there is any disunity in organised labour in New Zealand at the moment, you may be assured

there would be no disunity remain- „ ing -when the first large batch of Hindoos arrived.

It would be useful to know exactly what skilled trades these Asiatics would be used in, and why, if they are good enough to indenture for a period, they, must return to India.

Mr. McCallum happily said that division and profits between employer and employed was a fair thing—and if it is a fair thing between boss and white worker it is a fair thing between boss and imported coolie. The people who desire to increase the already serious problems of New Zealand by giving it a large Asiatic problem as well, are unlikely to command the respect their eminence might assure.