Pearling Industry

Islanders' Demand For Improvement In Pearling Industry

AT a conference held recently in the Brisbane Trades Hall, Thursday Islanders engaged in the pearling industry, demanded better working con ditions and higher wages.

The conference was attended by a number of Islanders who have been work ing in various parts of Queensland since they were evacuated from TI during the war.

The Islanders claimed that their “keep” consisted of bully-beef, rice, flour and sometimes golden syrup; that the con ditions on the boats were bad; that there was no provision for amenities or even adequate accommodation; that the nor mal hours worked were before sunrise until after sunset, and that although they had claimed it, the men seldom received workers’ compensation for accidents.

The Islanders also the Trades and Labour Council to assist them to get Australian naturalisation, and to form unions covering their callings so that they could get the same wages and con ditions as white men doing similar work.

They were informed that their requests had been placed before the Minister for External Territories (Mr. Ward) asking that something be done to protect them from exploitation.

A RECENT article in “Fisheries News letter” stated that better and larger fishing craft and improved ship board and shore amenities would have to be provided by pearling masters. The use of mother ships as tenders to fleets of luggers was suggested.

It was claimed that Torres Strait natives had successfully manned the lug gers during the war period and, in addi tion to obtaining shell for military pur poses, had fished quantities of gold-lip shell for use as currency in New Guinea.

It was urged that improvement in the operations of the pearly fishery be made, that risks be reduced, and that the yield per unit of effort and of cost, increased. —“Pearl.”