Gift To Chinese Traders In

The Solomons

Abolition of Copra Zoning May Have Bad Reaction On Administrative Conditions

From a Special Correspondent A DECISION to wipe out the “copra zones,” made recently by the new Resident Commissioner, Mr. Gregory Smith, has been received by planters and traders in the Solomon Islands with re sentment and criticism.

A former Resident Commissioner, Colonel Noel, introduced the system, as a means of stopping undesirable cut throat competition among traders who wanted to buy native-produced copra.

He divided the archipelago into zones, and one or two traders were given the sole right to deal in native copra in those zones, provided they complied with certain rules laid down by the Admini stration. The zones, and the persons licensed to buy native copra, were about as follows: Shortlands—Mr. J. Hammett.

Choiseul—Mr. C. W. Seton.

Vella Lavella—Mr. Gill and Fairy mead Co.

Munda—Mr. W. T. Wong.

Ysabel—Messrs. Laycock (now de ceased) and Symes and Fairymead Co.

Marovo Lagoon—Mr. Symes.

Ngela—Messrs. Carpenter and Mr.

Andresen.

Guadalcanal—Mr. Symes, Fairymead Co., and Solomon Islands Trading Co.

Malaita—Government Trade Scheme and a Chinese firm.

San Christoval—Mr. F. M. Campbell.

The Government Trade Scheme could buy m practically all zones.

The system worked quite satisfactorily.

The only people who did not like it were the Chinese traders. That was to be expected. The fundamental purpose of the plan was to keep control over the relations between the natives (who are generally sullen and unfriendly to the Europeans) and the Chinese, who might quite easily become a channel for Red propaganda to the natives.

However, one of the first acts of the no w Resident Commissioner was to wipe out this zoning system, as from Septem °er Thenceforward, as far as is known, it will be “an open go” in the matter of purchasing native copra.

The advantages, of course, will be all with the Chinese traders, of whom there are many operating in the Group. They are m a position to offer prices to the natives with which the European buyers h?iw 0t - Col J l P e , t ®- That, of course, will bring joy to the hearts of the Colonial tw ce^ ge p emen who; glowingly insist that the European’s only interest in the 5g“ v e is to exploit him; but people— ™ Colonel Noel—who take the broader and longer view see a very grave danger m giving such privileges to the Chinese.

Editorial Note

CJINCE China officially became a Communist satellite of the Soviet sys cVf 1 ?’ th ? re is a thf eat to our West in the Pacific 6very chinese community . cllin ese are law-abiding citi a]f S fv!i Ut as y et t°° soon to say that if .isolated Chinese communities, ninp Chin* is on the win mi mi C f d » wifi not become active Com- CoSmn fcells, ready to use Fifth oSSS? K tact *s against us. Until the coSi's co “ es^ clearer ’ ever y Chinese t?S^fu m the Pacific should be vei?iam;e Wlth care ’ and kept under sur ‘ The action of the Solomon Islands Ad

ministration appears, in the circum stances, to be hasty and shortsighted. By its decision, every Chinese trader in BSI becomes a potential danger.

That would be true in ordinary cir cumstances. In the peculiar conditions

which rule in the Solomons to-day, the new arrangement can be described as foolhardy. The BSI natives adhering to “Marching Rule” were finally brought under stern discipline by the former RC, and made to understand that the Brit ish Government is not to be cheaply regarded; but they have remained sullen and non-co-operative, and their “March ing Rule” movement is by no means dead.

This now is most favourable ground to be worked over by any pro-Communist anti-British Chinese who has been given the privileges of a copra-buyer.

(Continued on page 83)

THE persistence of the anti-European feeling among the natives of the Solomons has given rise to some extraordinary suspicions. Some people believe that American negroes, who de serted from some of the various black American battalions which went through the Solomons during the war, have settled down among the islanders and are carrying on propaganda there. Such men would be hard to detect by new comers to the Solomons —even the “old hands" would have to be alert, to sort them out from the darker types of na tives.

Suspicion was aroused by the receipt, by officials, of letters on native affairs, written in good English. No Solomons native has yet mastered English to the extent indicated by these letters. But they could have been produced by American negroes, educated in America.

There is need, throughout all these Melanesian islands, for stern and strict administration, as distinct from the Dr.

Evatt type of namby-pambyism, which has been characteristic of the Socialist countries’ Islands administrations in re cent years.

It was United Nations namby-pamby ism which created the present indescrib able muddle in Indonesia; it was Wardist namby-pambyism which caused so much confusion in Papua-New Guinea ad ministration: and now it looks as if British Colonial Office namby-pambyism is going to contribute something unde sirable to the history of the Solomon Islands.

Abdul Lateef, described by a Hobart (Tas.) newspaper as a “smiling 27-year old Fijian” is studying law at Hobart University. He said that neither he, nor the “three other Fijian students” in Hobart would be able to study in Australia if it were not for the help of the YMCA.