Indonesians Settle In 700 Miles East Of Australia
pp. 51-53 · Read in the full issue
Effect of Broken-Down Indentured Labour System in New Caledonia
From Our Own Correspondent
NOUMEA, August 1.
THE Indonesian mission of inspection which visited New Caledonia between March 27 and April 13, at the in vitation of the French administration, reported on its return to Djakarta that conditions of work, and the material wel fare of their compatriots in the French territory, were most satisfactory.
They said that nearly all the Javanese had bicycles, and numbers owned wireless sets; also that in general they were able to dress in much the same way as officials of the Indonesian Government. Socially their situation was secure, including medi cal care and treatment. The majority could read and write and generally speaking they spoke French and read the French papers.
The mission said the Javanese in NC were anxious to return temporarily to “their native, sovereign country, for whose welfare and independence they regretted they had been able to do so little. Now that they were free from the old system of being contracted out by a Dutch colonial government, they were able to act like citizens of a really independent country. Their children attended French schools, where they were well treated.”
The delegation consisted of Messrs.
Achmad Martakusumah, Prawira Suman tri and Susetijo, all officials of the Labour Departments of different Javanese provinces, and Ahem Erningpradja, of the Workers’ Trade Union, On their re turn to Java they reported to the Minis ter of Labour at Djakarta.
Apparently, the French Government has renewed its request for more Javanese labourers for New Caledonia, where about 5,000 remain of those brought in for
mining and agriculture before and during the early part of World War 11.
Editorial Note IF the countries responsible for the maintenance of the South Pacific Commission—especially Australia— have any regard for the future of the European and Islands people settled in the South Pacific, they will take early and urgent steps to secure the removal of
that Indonesian community from New
' Caledonia.
It is ridiculous that Australia should be showing such concern at the prospect of Indonesians settling in Dutch New Guinea, so close to Australia’s northern shores, while the French are permitting 5,000 Indonesians to take root, as a com placently permanent colony, in New Caledonia, only 700 miles east of the Queensland coast.
Surely, with the tragic example of In dian settlement in Fiji before them, Aus tralia’s leaders can see the danger of permitting this Indonesian community settlement in New Caledonia. Is it to be just another example of the suicidal policy of laisser faire? Originally, the Indians were brought into Fiji, Chinese into Tahiti and New Guinea, Javanese into New Caledonia, as indentured labourers, to work the plantations and the mines, under a strictly-policed system of repatriation. They were in no circum stances to be allowed to settle—they were to be sent home as soon as their labour contracts expired.
But, one by one, those precious systems broke down; and consequently we have Asiatic communities firmly established in Fiji, Tahiti and New Guinea, where they are increasingly anti-European in charac ter, and where they certainly will in time supplant the indigenous Islands people.
Now, as a result of World War 11, the repatriation clauses of the Javanese in dentured labour system have broken down also in New Caledonia. Within a few years, the Javanese will be claiming New Caledonia for the “republic of Indonesia.”
The French arranged it —so the French will deserve all they get. But what a re flection upon Australia, so sensitive re garding all these racial problems!
Mrs. Stephen Broinowski was in Sydney in August. She expected to leave soon for Lae, NG.