Netherlands Indies

Secondary Industries in Netherlands Indies

MANY people think of the Netherlands Indies as a vast tropical plantation on which is produced rubber, coffee, quinine and other products for which the islands are famous.

All this is true up to a point, but at the outbreak of the war the Netherlands East Indies was also a ‘manufacturing country of no mean proportion. The Dutch had encouraged the Indonesians to embark on manufacturing, and many in dustries had their beginnings in the homes of the people. By 1939 many of these Indonesian-controlled industries had become expanding and prosperous enter prises.

Let us examine the textile industry.

This started as a cottage industry, and in 1930 there were only 500 modern hand looms and 40 mechanical looms in the whole of Java. The islands were being swamped with cheap Japanese piecegoods to the detriment of local industry, and the Dutch were forced to introduce the quota system on Japanese imports. At the same time the Government assisted in the construction and purchase of cheap and practicable looms and in the distribu tion of good quality cotton yarns and dyes. Expert weavers were called in to train the native operatives in the use and care of the new looms, and every help was given in the marketing of the finished product.

This wise policy produced spectacular results. In 1941 there were 49,000 modern hand looms and 9,800 mechanical looms in Java alone, and it was estimated that there were more than 2,000,000 Indone sians engaged in small-scale industries, chiefly in the textile trade. In addition to textiles, household utensils, agricultural implements and packing materials were all manufactured within the islands.

Since the Japanese occupation many of these industries have been disrupted and disorganised, and the Dutch are faced with a colossal task of reconstruction. At the present time this is being delayed by the revolutionary activities of the ex tremists amongst the young Indonesian Nationalists.

Until these disturbances settle down prosperity cannot fully return to the Indies or the standard of living of the people be restored to that of pre-war years.

Even under presen# conditions the Netherlands Indies require a variety of Australian goods and these thicky-populated Islands offer amazing trade opportunities in the post-war years.

Australia is fortunate in being relatively close to these markets, but, unfortunately, a small noisy section in this country (a section that is composed of Communists or unthinking people egged on by these “Red Fascists”) has done its best to destroy that advantage by holding up the despatch of Dutch ships from Australian ports.

Consequently, orders for Australian goods have been cancelled and orders that Australia could have had have gone to other countries.

Foreign workers are thus getting the jobs Australians could have had making the goods the Netherlands Indies requires.

Surely this is a matter calling for team work, the Government, the manufac turers, and the workers, pulling together, could ensure that this trade builds em ployment for Australian workers. —Contributed by CEIGOA Pty., Ltd. (Con solidated Export and Import Group of Australia).

The Bishop in Polynesia, the Rt. Rev.

L. S. Kempthorne, arrived in Auckland by the February “Matua” to attend the Synod of the Anglican Church of New Zealand which is being held in Dunedin.

W/O R. P. Phillips and W/O R. A. Car ter, both of the RNZAF, recently returned home to Apia. W. Samoa. Both have seen active service abroad.

Bishop Henry Newton celebrated his 80th birthday at the beginning of Jan uary. He has completed 46 years of missionary service. He served for many years in New Guinea, then was called to

the Episcopate as the second Bishop of Carpentaria. Some years later he was made Bishop of his old diocese in New Guinea. He has since retired.

Mr. H. Gow, formerly of Burns Philp staff in Fiji, recently was appointed manager of the Apia branch, in succes sion to the late Mr. R. H. Brown.

War Damage Insurance claims lodged by the Methodist Overseas Mission in respect of damage done to mission pro perty in Papua and New Guinea amount to £83,000.