Wages Forecast

Rise in E. Samoa Wages Forecast

Mr. Norris Sacharoff, Of

the Wages and Labour Division of the Department of Labour, Washington, DC, conferred in early November with commercial and American Samoan government authorities to obtain preliminary information on labour conditions in American Samoa.

In the US and most of its possessions, there is a minimum wage of $1 per hour; in American Samoa the present minimum is 25 cents, for the same period.

Mr. Sacharoff said a six-man committee will be formed, three from the US and three locals. Two of the teams are to be representa tive employers, two employees and the remaining two disinterested members. They are to conduct hearings in American Samoa and draw up plans and recommenda tions involving adjustment of salary rates.

It is believed that the local minimum wage may be increased to at least 40 cents, per hour. t The Japanese ship Eiko Maru, which had been loading nickel at Kouarou, New Caledonia, in De cember, lost her anchor and chain shortly after leaving her moorings.

Another ship of the same line was

endeavouring to recover them. The Kentyu Maru towed two tugs from Japan. The tugs will be used by the Lafieur and Pentecote group of mines to tow lighters loading nickel ore. f Mr. M. J. Bay, an Education Officer from Fiji, is being seconded to the New Hebrides for three

months at the request of the H Commissioner for the West Pacific to advise the British R( dent Commissioner on educatio development in the Condominii Mr. Bay, who for the past th years has been Principal of R Kadavulevu School, will act Chief Inspector of Schools on return from the New Hebrides.