Indonesian

Labourers

How N. Caledonia Plans to Solve Repatriation Difficulty

DURING a recent session, the Chamber of Agriculture of New Caledonia considered the problem presented in the repatriation of Tonkinese and Javanese labourers now working on New Caledonian plantations, who have to be returned to their own country on the expiration of their labour contracts.

To deal with the situation, the Cham ber of Commerce adopted the following resolution; — “In consideration of the fact that a state of war exists in the Pacific, creat ing insuperable difficulties in communi cation between the Netherlands East Indies, Indo-China and New Caledonia: and having regard to the alliance which binds Holland and the East Indies with Free France against a common enemy, the mobilisation of men in New Cale donia, the consequent scarcity of agri cultural labourers, the absolute necessity of maintaining agricultural production, and the difficulty of recruiting further Javanese or Tonkinese labourers; the Chamber of Agriculture asks that an Act be passed to make it legal to retain Asiatic labourers at present employed (Javanese and Tonkinese) for the dura tion of the war.”