Nauru’s Experience

Indentured Chinese

AS indenture of Chinese labourers is permitted by some of the Paci fic Islands administrations, there is always a good deal of interest in the social and economic effect of the use of this class of labour.

The annual report of the Adminis trator shows that there were in Nauru on December 31 last, 1,110 Chinese en gaged mostly in working the phosphate deposits. This number has remained fairly constant since the island was taken over by Britain, Australia nad New Zealand in a joint mandate from the League of Nations ten years ago.

The Administrator says that the con duct of the Chinese, as a general rule, is excellent. They are industrious and peacefully inclined, and support the authorities in the maintenance of or der. There was a squabble between two Chinese factions in April, 1930, and a Nauruan policeman was fatally in jured while trying to suppress the dis turbance; but otherwise the Asiatics have given no trouble.

An interesting item is that, during 1930 these Chinese workers sent £14,436 to relatives and friends in China, mak ing a total of £113,162 thus remitted to China since the introduction of man datory control.

Chinese coolies are brought to Nauru under three years’ contracts, and are repatriated at their employers’ expense.

Much care is now being exercised in their medical examination before leav ing China, and in ensuring satisfactory living and working conditions in Nauru with the result that the number repat riated owing to medical unfitness has declined in the following way: 1927 1928 1929 1930 131 33 20 15 It is probably the result of strict supervision of living conditions that caused 83 Chinese to be prosecuted during the year for breaches of the sanitary laws.