The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-04-17
The Labor Market of Western Polynesia.

Il o.. v,ry rrobable. As was intimaied in our last.
thai tie mkt expedition sent out for immigrants
by th. Board will be TO the Islands Of Western
Polynesia. comprising the large and populous
groups known as the Solomon Islands and the New
H-brides. l. IL estimated that these Two groups
contain a population OF from two to three hun
dred thousand From thence is derived the mostof
the labor employed on the plantations OF tUi,
Queensland and Samoa. and the people doubtless
in consequence of the fair treatment they nave re-
ceiVed Ctbe business being closely supervised by
GOvernmentl are represented as all more or less
eager to emigrate. The inhabitants OF both groups
and more especially those Of the Solomon Islands,
are a robust and strong race, 1.-THE formation OF the
country being high laud) both men and women
are industrious and tractable, and apt to learn
quickly. The planters who have tried both these
people and those from the low coral islands-lke
the pesple Of Micronesia that have recently been
brought b-re-very decidedly give the preference
20 The former, for the reasons that they are more
robust and active, and suffer less from change oil
habits aud diet than the latter
The Nv Hebrides lie between lat. 1886 3,
long. l6G4O T. and lat. 20.l5 S, long. 1T0ll E.
There arr twenty-three principal Islands, but the
group contains over one hundred, and occupies an
area 4I9 miles North and South by 2ll miles East
and West. The Inhabitants are represented by
our ~informant-a gentleman who has frequently
visited the islands Of both this and the Solomon
group during the past ten years-to be simply de-
based heathen and savages. Cannibalism still ex-
ist- among them. They are treacberous IN the ex-
IRENE. and those who venture TO their shores to
trade must 60 well armed. And vel, strange as II
may seem, we are told that after these same saw
ages get on board ship their manner, and in fact
their whole nature seems to undergo a complete
change. They are willing and active and will
readily do anything they are required to do-show
them what is wanted and they are happy to obey.
And the united testimony of the planters who have
employed them for years is in effect the same as to
their industry and tractableness.
The Solomon group, which is said to be the lar
gest in the Pacific, lies a few degrees to the North
aud West Of the New Hebrides. Like the inhabi-
tants of the latter group, they are a branch of the
Papuan race. with a mixture of the M~alayo-Poly-
nesian. Both men and women are said to be even
stronger and more robust than those OF the New
Hebrides. The men are healthy, coarse looking
fellows and the women are good looking, with oc-
casiOnaliy a really handsome one. The people are
characterized as industrious, and easily managed.
and quite ready to ~emigrate. These islands ex-
tend about 1876 miles North and South by AGA miles
East and West, aud sustain a large population.
From all that We have been able to gather from
authentic sources. we are inclined to believe that
the two groups herein mentioned will afford a
good field from which to obtain a supply not only
Of labor, but Of men and women that by coming
under the influence of our civilization will ANAL
gamate with and become a part of the Hawaiian
nation. The women of the Solomon group in par
ticular, who have married in FIJI. are said to make
good wives and become the mothers OF numerous
offspring.