The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-04-17
Fiji.

Some Of those who called out so Justify for stan-
nexstion'' a few months ago, now that Fiji has be-
come "a Grown colony Of a rather severe type"
begin to find that the shoe pinches more than they
either anticipated or hargained for. The planters
particularly find Enumeration presses rather
severely upon them. Shortly after the cessiOn
was made a proclamation was issued by the Gov
ernor 10 the effect that all persons employing foreign
labor-that is to- say, laborers imported from the
Polynesian islands-would be subjected to an annual
tax of ten shiilings per head for any number they
might have in their service. There was but little
notice taken of the proclamation at the time of its
issue, but within the last few days people have been
reminded that it is not myth, but a reality. No
tees have been served upon every prison employing
these people. either as domestic servants or planta-
ton laborers, that FIVE shilings ger head must be at
once paid for all their servants for the six months
ending the 3lst March next. This tax will be heavy
upon some of the planters who employ large num-
bers of laborers. and viii cause Polynesian labor to
be anything but the cheap labor which has been so
much boosted of in the colonies. Thus, If o planter
employs say sixty l&borers on his plantation, and
there are some who employ many more than that
number, he must pay from s12 to Gl3 per head for
their Importation, which will amount to somewhere
about ESQ; they viii be engaged for three years
only, at wages amount to 60 per head, which will
be E540 more; he must pay Ct per head for their
return passage, EGO; los. per head annual tax for
three years, ESQ; permit to land, Is. per head, e3;
engagement for service, Is. each, &c. Thus his
sixty laborers, for three years service, win cost him
at the very lowest figure, E1479 in actual money;
or somewhere bou, $500 q year. He must likewise
provide them with sufficient food and clothing. The
food will generally be produced on the plantation,
and the clothing is no very great deal, being four
sulus, or about eight or ten yards of calico or cheap
print per year for each individual; loz. of tobacco
per man each week, one mat or other equivalent
every six months, and good house accommodation.
These things do not certainly involve very heavy
amounts, but still they are items Of expenditure in
addition to those above mentioned, to be taken into
the general account. Should any Of his servants
happen to die, as many do during the first year of
their service, that 10 a dOOd loos 10 tho planter. IL
two or three of them should fall sick, which is not
an unfrequent occurrence, and they should be sent
to the hospital, in addition to the loss of their SER
vice, their employer must pay e1 per week during
their continuance in that institutions. If not sent to
the hospital the planter is bound by the terms of his
agreement to procure for them medal attendance.
Thus. says the correspondent of the Sydney Morn
ing Herald, 1t will be seen that imported labor in
FIJI is not the cheapest thing in the world, but on
on the other hand rather an expensive affair.