Looking to the Islands
pp. 55-56 · Read in the full issue
for Jobs Few Openings Likely Until Shipping is Restored
JUDGING from correspondence received by the editor of this journal, a large number of men are eager to go to the Islands after the war. Some want to enter into business on their own account; the majority simply seek a job of some kind. All are anxious for advice.
It is most difficult to give advice. None of the three western Pacific Territories which were invaded by the Japs—New Guinea, Papua and the Pacific Solomons —are yet ready to receive civilians. There is no reason, as far as can be seen, why civilians should not go back to Papua and the British Solomons; but, up to date, they are sternly barred out.
In the case of the Australian Terri tories (Papua and New Guinea) the reason now seems clear enough—see the long article in this issue. The Australian Socialist Government wishes to keep the two Territories closed against private enterprise, so that all kinds of Socialist experiments may be undertaken. This system will break down, sooner or later; and, when it does, there will be room in both Territories for a couple of thousand of enterprising men, at least. The majority of these places will be filled by “evacuees” —those brought out in 1942, who are eager to go back.
The closed door in the Solomons has never been explained. It is supposed, however, that the return of civilians and of private enterprise is being held up pending a decision about a permanent United States base in Guadalcanal.
There is no post-war place, as yet, in any of the Islands Territories, for men Who have had no peacetime experience in the Islands. Until they know Islands conditions, they must be employed by someone. Until industries are re-estab lished, and the available experienced, men are engaged, no employer will want to engage and train inexperienced men. fIIHE chief industries in the Islands are X planting and mining. At the moment, there are excellent mar kets for the products of both industries; but the operations of both are limited by lack of transport. Old industries cannot get back into production and new in dustries cannot start up,’ until shipping becomes plentiful again. That will be some time.
Sooner or later, after shipping is avail able, Islands industries will reach the position where they will have before them a double problem—where to get an adequate labour supply, and a reason ably dependable market. Further de velopment must await a solution of both.
Both problems seem to call for action by some co-ordinating authority in touch with world-wide conditions, such as the Regional Councils proposed by the United Nations.
Copra, rubber, coffee, cocoa—all those things can be grown cheaply and well in the Islands. But where can cheap labour be found to grow them? And, when they are produced, where can they be sold?
Marketing was a haphazard business before the war; and it may be even more so in the future. It would be foolhardy to encourage industrial development and expansion until those two problems are solved.
Thousands of people are eager to go to the Islands. Most of the Territories — especially those in the Central Pacific — are eager to have them. There are abun dant funds in the hands of the big firms in some of the Territories, available to assist and encourage development. But even if private enterprise is left free and
encouraged to go ahead, the future re mains obscure.
The foregoing outline of conditions is stated in general terms, for the informa tion of those who simply seek a “job.”
There are not likely to be any clear-cut jobs available in the Islands until the war is over, and communications fully re established.
But there always are opportunities for the individualist—the hustling energetic man who is not afraid to go out and see things for himself, and who can turn his hand to anything.