Shortage
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N. Guinea Labour
Conference With Administrator
From Our Own Correspondent
Rabaul, July 21.
ON July 13, an informal meeting of Government officials and employers of native labourers was held in Rabaul, when the Administrator (Sir Walter McNicoll) presided.
For some time, there has been a certain amount of discontent among employers, owing to difficulty in obtaining sufficient labour supplies, and this conference was to “get together” and ascertain the atti tude of the Administration.
The matter of closing certain areas against recruiting was discussed at some length, and it was pointed out by the Administrator that such a step was taken purely in the interests of the natives themselves. The importation of coolie labour was considered. The meeting dis cussed a system of recruiting under Gov ernment supervision—in short, the estab lishment of what practically would be a Government-controlled labour bureau.
Finally, it was decided that the forma tion of a committee to investigate the whole position was desirable; and, prob ably, in the near future, some step of this nature will be taken.