Solomon Islands.

Imported Labour Question.

From Our Own. Correspondent.

Tulagi, Nov. 9.

AT the annual Advisory Council meet ing just concluded, another plea was made by the non-official members for imported labour—-though it is ques tionable whether such a move is a wise one.

Arguments can be put forward for and against the place; but the point that stands out on the negative side is that the world seems to have all the veget able and animal oil it requires, or is likely to require, for a number of years ahead, and an “increased production” of copra under such circumstances does not appear to have much to recommend it.

Ivory Nuts Duty.

Another plea was for a reduction in the export duty to 5/- per ton on ivory nuts, on account of the low and muddled state of this market. But, of course, it is realised that revenue muse be got in somehow and, as an ample set-off, it was recommended that free steamer passages to wives of officials travelling without their husbands should be dis allowed in future, and also that Choiseul natives should be called upon to pay a tax in common with all other natives. It it not clear to the writer why this has not been done before.

Natives' Technical Training.

A further suggestion was that grants to missions for technical education of natives should only be made when such

natives had completed their courses and were able to pass an examination by the Government Superintendent of Works and a non-official competent tradesman in the calling selected by the native can didate.

Up to the present, practically nothing has been done by the authorities to en courage skilled labour among natives, and in this respect domestic service is probably the most essential calling.

The outlay in setting up a school for domestic training and the maintenance of same should surely be amply repaid in the long run, but, of course, it would be necessary to extend the indenture period of natives desiring to be so trained, from the present two years to, say, four or five years, at a graduated scale of wages. The Government should have little difficulty in recruiting young natives for this training at a very small cost, while those desirous of securing the services of a trained domestic would willingly pay perhaps more than the pre sent recruiting fee, so that some return might be made in this wav towards re ducing cost.

No charge will be made for the sug gestion; and, though the scheme mav have its drawbacks, it is high time that something was done to lighten the trials of those taking up an Islands life—to

say nothing- of the civilising and useful effect such a training would have upon “black brother,”