The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-01-26
less the early plantations sustained

less the early plantations sustained
great injury in consequence.
| 1t must be remembered that the
country at that date was in very
unsettled state, and the natives would
not be persuaded to leave their home
| for a journey of 40 miles, much less
| 300 miles, as is the case now, return
| ing six months or twelve months after.
The African Lakes Coy, had succeed
ed in brining Atonga by steamer from
Lake Nyasa as far back as So to do
their transport work, but the passage
was costly, and it was not until 81
that the Atonga agreed to leave their
home and accept work on Buchanan
Bros plantation at Zmoba. The po-
sition today therefore is totally
changed The local native being sati-
ated with cloth and other goods does
little or no work their place, how
ever, during the dry season is taken
by Angoni who come from the table
| land to the west of the Shire, while
| the Atonga from further North are
available for the wet season; thus 1t
is that the planter today, notwith-
| standing the enormous increase of
| labor demand, is in better position
/ than was his pioneer brother. The
Atonga labor supply has been render
| ed available to every planter in Ny
| ashland by the action of H. M. Com
missioner in reducing to order seyeIll
Yao chiefs on the west of Lake Nyasa
who, up till then, would not allow
/ IF tn oh hai
country Let us hope that a year
hence we may see the remaining Yao
chiefs of the East of the Lake silenced
and thus another vast labor supply
rendered accessible.
One cannot prophesy as to the future
of the labor supply, as many contin-
gencies may arise. The discovery of
gold, for instance, might seriously in
| terfere with the planters labor sup
ply, but, taking no pessimistic view of
the case, and all things being equal,
| there is really no reason why the sup
ply should not go on increasing. There
are yet vast fields of labor untapped
and as we advance and close in on the
old order of things in Africa the ma
tural corollary is that tribes come to
learn that the new state is better than
the old. Taking the Angoni as case
| in point it seems like but yesterday
since the writer saw villages burning
people flying for refuge, armies CT
Angoni raiding and pillaging. Now
we have in the Shire Highlands year
after year thousands upon thousands
of those same Angoni who have ex-
1 oh ~ 10 CHI al
| hoe, and who prove themselves as cap
| able laborers as they were warriors
/ to be feared.
The rate of wages at the present
| time varies from As to is per month
for the ordinary plantation hand. The
more skilled laborer obtaining 10 u
more rupees. Wages are yet TO a
large extent paid in barter goods sucn
as calico, beads, brass wire, handker-
| chiefs etc. but a money currency
namely, the Indian rupee and the Eng
| lisb coinage, is fast becoming general.
Laid is yet available in quantity Not
withstanding very marked increase
in value within the last few years
| there is yet good coffee land obtain
| able at from 5s to 20s per acre. 1t IS
| calculated that plantation of 200
acres including, say 1000 acres more or
less of land, may be brought into bear
/ ing in its third year for about $4,000
/ though f2500 would be a safer esti
| mate. The coffee in this country has
a marked tendency to bear heavily in
its first year. The writer has known
coffee, not forced in any way, to bear
maiden crop OF 8cwt per acre within
| 3 years of the date of placing the seed
in the soil. The result of this is ruin
Gus, and so weakens the trees that, IN
many instances, little more crop is OBJ
tanned Hence it would be well not
| to expect a maiden crop until the
| fourth year AS to how long the trees
may go on bearing it is at present im-
possible to foretell. There are trees in
| the writer's possession now in their
eighth year which have borne five con-
| tinuous crops; while, on the other
hand, trees that have borne heavily in
their initial stage have had to be cut
down and renewed.
| The great drawback coffee has 10
contend with is the want of transport.
One breads to think of what may De
the position two years hence, unless
by that time We have railway from
Chrome to Blantyre, if indeed it be
not from the sea coast. The present
transport arrangements are utterly in
adequate to deal with the export Of
1000 tons of coffee in a period not ex-
tending over three months. There are
railway and tramway schemes in the
air both good enough in their way,
but what is wanted is a thoroughly
good railway 8 feet inches gauge
starting best of all at the sea coast,
falling this at Port Herald or Chiromo
Blantyre. As yet the fatal leaf di-
| sease of Cevlon is unknown in this