No Unemployment
p. 37 · Read in the full issue
In Fiji
SUVA. June 20. the total estimated population U of 312,000 in Fiji at the end of 1952. only about 19,000 are classified as wage earners (says the annual report of the Labour Com missioner) . The figures, however, do not include domestic servants, salary earners, or casual workers, such as stevedoring labour or seasonal cane cutters.
Unemployment was non-existent :n 1952, though £34,700 was voted by ;he Legislature for the relief of destitute aged and unemployable Europeans, part-Europeans, Indians and Solomon Islanders. Fijians in ;his category are cared for by their communities.
The cost of living for Indians rose very slightly during the year, out wages, with a few exceptions, remained generally at the same .evel as in the previous year, rang ng from Hid to 6/2 per hour.
Fijian mine workers, following a threat to strike, gained a wage in crease of 6d to 6/- per day for sur face workers and 7/- for under ground. The strike threat was asso ciated with a demand for money in ieu of rations. The employers main lined that, unless they had control )f the rationing, the Fijian workers vould waste their money and prove inable to ration themselves pro >erly throughout the month. The settlement was made on the basis )f 6d. per day wage increase, the employers to retain control of •ationing.
CSR Co. mill workers, after legotiation, received an increase of /6 per week, with a sick-pay in irease of 6d. per day. Relations in his industry remained good.
Seamen on inter-island vessels, diose wages were over-due for re ision, received a 25 per cent, in rease, average rates now varying etween 8/- and 10/- per day. Only 79 men were involved in this in hstry—with 44 separate employers.
Fijian timber-workers, after .egotiation, gained an increase in beir incentive bonus, resulting in daily earning rise of about 1/-, nd improvements in staff accom xodation.
The largest wage-groups in the ammunity were Indians, 2,917 of le total 9,335 earning 8/- to 10/er day; Fijians, 2,353 of the 8,011 irning 6/- to 8/- per day; and hinese, 123 of the 566 earning 12/- ) 14/- per day. The majority of the 170 Europeans listed earned over )/- per day, though 222 were earn ig 10/- or less.
The report emphasised the urgent sed for greater facilities for train ig skilled workers and the heavy nancial loss and wastage of laterials involved in using so many
113 persons were receiving govern ment training. No apprenticeship system exists. Due mostly to the difficulty of obtaining skilled men from overseas to accept employment in local industries, there are few qualified to train apprentices, untrained workers in industry. Only U MR. G. I. MacLENNAN has re signed from the Commonwealth Works Department at Rabaul, NG.
Mr. T, Dixon, who had been second in-charge at Rabaul, is now the Acting Regional Works Officer.
Mr. MacLennan had been Regional Works Officer at Rabaul since the re-establishment of civil adminis tration after the war, and was very well-known throughout the area.