Defaulting Recruits

Letter to the Editor ■THE very interesting article of “De -1 faulting Recruits,” in the Solomons, published in the P.I.M. of March, should arouse sympathy among recruiters in Papua, for defaulting recruits are by no means unknown in this country, though the monetary loss that may result is far less than in the instances cited from the Solomons, Natives have been known to clamour for work when a recruiter visits their villages, yet, having had the conditions and wages conscientiously explained to them through an interpreter, have re fused to keep their word of acceptance when brought before a labour official. In such cases, the unfortunate recruiter has to feed and return them home, free of charge.

The practice is not common enough to make a song about, but, rare or common, it is downright fraudulent, and the ex posure of fraudulent practices when proved is in British countries followed by some form of penalty.

But. in Papua, as in the Solomons, there is no redress in such cases.

I am, etc.,

Recruiter.

Pt. Moresby, Papua, 3/5/1937.

Mrs. Eric Vine, after three months’ holiday in Sydney, returned to her home in Fiji hy the Mariposa on May 28.