Concerning

NG Planters' Troubles Concerning Native Labour Recruits

From Qur Own Correspondent RABAUL, April 10.

IN October of 1947 the Planters Asso ciation decided to try and arrange a supply of indentured labour. To date their efforts have been fairly suc cessful, and some 500 recruits have been supplied to members- in batches of about 25 per member.

This has very considerably helped the plantations, particularly in the Kokopo area, and Gazelle Peninsula generally.

Consequently, production has risen very sharply in these areas.

Bougainville will greatly benefit from this plan, too. Already over 100 em ployees have been shipped to various plantations in that area, or are on their way. In the case of Bougainville, how ever, the cost is heavy, owing to the poor shipping facilities.

The outlook for the immediate future, however, is not so hopeful, owing to the scarcity of the issues necessary for each recruit. Blankets, until recently available at about 12/6, are now unprocurable.

There are some at 30/ each.

The cost of laplap material, previously available at 1/3 per yard, has been in creased to 1 B—and stocks are practically exhausted. It is estimated that a poorer quality material that is coming on to the market this year will be about 3/per yard.

Interisland shipping facilities are in a bad way, owing to shortage of fuel oil, and this is seriously affecting transport between Wewak and Rabaul. Wewak, the centre from which most of the plantation labour is supplied, is at present so short of food, owing to shipping difficulties, that recruiting of labour may have to be tem porarily suspended.

RABAUL, April 19.

OWING to shortage of food supplies and uncertainty of shipping, the As sociation’s representative now ad vises that he cannot recruit more labour until the labourers now awaiting ship ment have been cleared This means that no further labour for planters from this source will be avail able for at least three months. If suit able and regular transport by sea cannot be obtained soon the Association’s ar rangements may have to be abandoned.

For some time, the Association has been trying to arrange transport of native labourers by air.

Planters generally may be interested in the following information supplied by a leading Insurance Co.

“Regarding insurance of indentured natives being flown to Rabaul from the New Guinea Mainland per aircraft: We are, at present unable to issue any con tract of insurance of this nature. We have written our Sydney Office on the subject and, on receipt of their reply, we will advise you as to what measure of imdemnity can be afforded the respec tive employers.

“The enquiry we have made is for an insurance as follows: A flight insurance for £B5 per native passenger, to cover the employer’s liability at law for death or bodily injury not exceeding £6O plus £25 payable to the employer for charges incurred, such as plane fare and recruit ing expenses.

“We regret that we are not able to issue workers compensation insurance to natives, as the Ordinance only compels that European and Asiatic employees be covered.”

When it is realised that a planter who orders, say, 30 labourers to be transported by air is liable for an amount of £2,550 in the event of a plane crash, it will be seen that the way of the average planter is very hard, when he or she tries to obtain a labour supply.

The Association has made inquiries re garding insurance to cover indentured labourers whilst being transported by sea; but it appears almost a certainty that this class of insurance also cannot be obtained.