The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-12-04
LABOR QUESTION IN FIJI.
DIR. GUPPY TELLS or CONDITIONS
IN THE COLONY.
Cheap Wages of Indian Coolies-Japa-
nese Experiment Proves "A Failure
Japs Engaged at 25 Cents per Day.

nese Experiment Proves a Failure
Japs Engaged at 25 Cents per Day.
DIR. II. B. Guppy, the English natur-
alist, who made u years study in Ha-
wall, and who spent twenty-three
days on the top of Mauna Loa, writes
to The Star from iii on the labor con-
ditions existing there. He says:
The history of the Labor question
in this British colony has naturally
an interest for the white population
of other Pacific groups, and few of
the recently published facts and fig
ures relating to this subject may he
of interest to the readers of The Star.
The report of the agent-general on
Indian immigration for 1896 has lust
been issued in the Fiji Royal Gazette,
for October rs. 1897; and a brief peru
sal of it is sufficient to demonstrate
the care and attention which the au-
thorities in Fiji are devoting to the
matter.
That the Fiji Islands offer .attrac-
tons to the Indian coolies is shown by
their rapid increase during the last
few years. Whilst the total number
in 1879. when they were first introduce
ed, was 464, it rose to 6O32 in 1856, 10
1854 in 1895, and to 10,476 in 1890. The
indentured population make up rather
more than half of the whole number
of Indians. the remainder. about 1890
being characterized as free immi-
grants:y land since the future of the
colony may largely depend on the
choice made by the Indian immigrants
at the termination of their service on
the sugar plantations, reference may
first be made to this view of the sub
| ject. Of the immigrants, whose ORR
| ginal indenture expired in 1896, only
about ten per cent re-engaged a very
! large number of time-eXpired coolies
! prefer to remain in, the colony as
free men to work for themselves; and
| according TO the latest agricultural re-
! turns some $500 acres were, in 1896,
under cultivation by free Indian i'm
! migrants. OF this land about half
was under sugar cane, and about one
/ third under bananas. the remainder
! being devoted to rice and market gar
| den produce. The free Indians also
! possess among them about 1900 head
| of cattle and about 1000 head of poul-
try. Probably. as the report proceeds
much more land will be occupied by
time expired immigrants if the near
future.
With regard, to the cultivation Of
sugar cane by the Indians. it may be
observed that "coolie holdings form
a prominent feature in this branch of
industry on the Rewa river. There
are usually about three acres to Il lot,
the owner of the land receiving from
the coolie holder either one-ffth Of
the cane raised or two shillings and
six pence per ton. This is a very con-
venient plan for the proprietor. and
| whole estates are sometimes divided
upon into coolie holdings which bring
a ready return and but little responsi-
bility or trouble to the owner.
The Indian immigrant in fact has
already firmly established himself in
FIJI. Although a free passage to In
dia for himself and family is always
secured to him, the time expired COO
I lies. as already remarked, have. in
considerable numbers preferred to re-
main. They will soon. as the agent
general observes, become as indepen-
dent workers an important element in
the commercial and industrial econo-
my OF the colony. Already, he con-
tlnues, the forerunners of distinct
lal
i'm tbe nersons of ~ I,rna,. innI NJ
ders amonU them Iybo bor, ,.isar no 20
the rank of an,1,Io,a,., 80 la
store l<eanars NAV, aro La+ i''o 49,, rs
ers and imnortars thonnh ra+ en n,i ~,
y small scaIe Thai,. -, ~ b oa ou'
ara nnnoro,i. ,Tha,. u,ua' no"eNei ,
mo to the ra,ror+ ~ apP -; ,'l
ME ne n,,,eh ne 70 20 eos h oHni.'S oeo
N hn in f.
tbe 'denositors reooiyinn f,o,,, US ~ ~, -
nar coyt Co.. ~ t,ai. ',o,i . ~ SIs
nosits nu,.;nn H. no"a We
4 f155o vere ren7i+ted h,, na, "Jout
to friends in India " '''oS oi'ei
The oovarnment nv, FL, o
tbair insneotnr, laa ~ % ;asenuS VI
tbe crima ana otfanpo - .Se ~
tion Tho statistins 60. an n"o 81 th ,an
ara n,l,lisbad j., tha "a" VI .ne li
mepdation is cri,a,, pti !, Iii' III
occaSion ,.aon;ras WI m,'mnv. 90 Wv. we
4 in deaI;ng ,rith tho ,aIa, m"H =; 9 ~ aar'
800 ~ 10 "iSSo' :