New Guinea
p. 73 · Read in the full issue
Indentured Labour In
Will It be Abolished Eventually?
IN reply to questions from members of the Permanent Mandates Commission during- discussion recently at the 27th Ses sion of the annual report from New Guinea, the accredited representative stated that it was the policy of the Administra tion to do away eventually with the inden ture system of labour.
The Planters’ Association of New Guinea viewed this development with apprehen sic n and in the Executive Committee’s annual report said: “That the first state ment that such is the policy of the Terri tory should be given under such circum stances without any previous indication to that effect having been made within the Territory itself and without any indication as to how and with what labour the pres ent system is to be replaced, is very alarm ing to planters and other employers of labour.”
The Committee believes that some com prehensive and authoritative statement should be made by the Commonwealth Go vernment, relative to this matter of para mount interest to the whole trade, com merce and industry of the Mandated Ter ritory, Madame Doris Legras, of New Cale donia, who is en route to New Zealand on an extended holiday, reached Sydney from Noumea by the October Van Rees.
Mr. N. Blood, of the European Con stabulary in New Guinea, arrived in Aus tralia on leave by the Macdhui on Sep tember 24.