Javanese Labour is Costly

Apparently the importation of labour from Java is not the solution to New Caledonia’s labour prob lems that was hoped.

Most of the trouble seems to arise from the fact that labourers can now change their employment at will.

The New Caledonian Immigration De partment reports that of the 450 Javanese workers who arrived in the Colony early in 1949, 112 had left their original employment more than once, as well as showing lack of keenness.

The report adds significantly that the new labour in the mines seems to be in ferior to that of former years in out put, quite apart from their incapacity through sickness (16 to 20 per cent.).

But in agriculture results are better, though the attraction of Noumea causes some to abandon their jobs.

Another remark which seems to indi cate that reliance is no longer to be placed as of old on Javanese labour, runs: “The impossibility of any disciplinary action is likely to encourage continual change of employment of this class of labour which is proving extremely costly when regard is had to its present return in the way of production.”