ISLAND LABOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 10

ISLAND LABOUR

DIFFICULTIES IN SOLOMONS TRADE NOT DEVELOPING [ Special “Chronicle" Service ] AUCKLAND, October 2. Commercial conditions are not bright in the Solomon Islands, according to Sir Harry Moorhouse, who investigated the murder of Mr Bell, a district officer, and others in the Solomons in October of last year, and who trrived at Auckland from Suva by the Tofua recently. Sir Harry said the price for copra was low and there was a serious scarcity of labour. Until the labour difficulties had been overcome there was no prospect of development. The capital was available and on G large firm was prepared to develop its already extensive business in the Solomons if it could be assured of a steady supply of labour.

The average Solomon Islander was a good worker, better than the majority of South Sea islanders but there was very little incentive for him to wotk. His wants were few and the communal system, strongly in vogue, did not promote a desire to work. Something very definite would have to bo 4rne in the matter of labour. It would not mutter where the labour was secured provided it was on the indenture system.

There was one difficulty in the way of the development of the South Seas which struck Sir Harry very f cibly, and that was that communication was generally by water. An ambitious road policy was out of the question, but transport was perhaps the largest factor in making the cost of labour very High.