Is Reconsidered

Cook Islands Workers

Makatea Labour

Policy

Is Reconsidered

(From Our Own Correspondent) THE policy of employing Cook Islands labour at the Makatea phosphate workings is being re considered by the Government of French Oceania.

At present it appears that there is a surplus of Polynesian labour at Papeete, and the Compagnie Francaise des Phosphates de I’Oceanie has been advised not to contract fresh Cl labour until authorisation has been received from the Government.

The scheme of supplying Makatea labour from the Cooks started dur ing the years of World War IT, when there was a labour surplus in the Cooks. The money brought back by the men was a welcome source of income to the outer islands of the Cook Group.

To-day the position has changed, with many Cook Islanders being employed locally on Cook Islands Administration building projects and an abundance of highly-paid jobs offering in New Zealand.

The attitude of both the New Zealand Government and the Cl

Administration is that in the event of Cl labour for Makatea being discontinued, it can be absorbed by the local and New Zealand labour markets. t When the Fiji Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve called for

applications to fill 60 vacancies.: more than 200 replies were received] mainly from Fijians. Some of the applicants had done good service with the FRNVR in the Pacific) War. The 60 ratings selected were to start training in July and to undergo sea training when HMNZg Hawea visited Fiji in August.