The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-08-25
ITALIAN LABORERS
Experience o. Queensland
Planter.
Considers the Sugar Industry One of the Best
for Italians 10 En-
gage in.

Mr. c. V. Fraire, who has resided
| for twenty-three years in Townsville
! North Queensland, makes the follow
| ing statements regarding Italian labor
ers, which are printed in the Queens
lander Of July %:
land OF July %:
In pursuance of my idea. | went to
Italy, some eight or nine years ago.
and, securing the necessary license
from the Italian Government brought
out 800 adults from the North of Italy.
where ne most Woodworking and in
dustrious classes are to be found
IneSe included Il few Swiss. with
whom the natives Of the North of Italy
are closely allied in language and Gus
toms. The whole party were alb
soroed readily by the planters of the
Burdekin, Herbert River, and Bunda-
berg districts. After a time a fair
number % these leased land from the
planters and themselves started
growing sugar for the mills, a bust
ness N which they have succeeded
we'll. So well are these people salts
fed with their condition. that they
have II 2 number of cases, with the
assistance of the Government, brought
out their friends and relatives, who
falling into the grooves of their prede-
cessOrS, are also Contented and pros
porous The Government at present
have some forty nominations of suit
able colonists, who are to be assisted
out in due course, friends in Queens
land paying about one-nalf the cost"
The italian emigration regulations
are, Nj. Fraire declares, very strict,
and migratiOn agents must not only
be citizens born in Italy, but must also
be OF the very best character, and in
addition must deposit q sum equal to
2,000 in English coinage as evidence
of bona fides. The profit of the agents
is obtained from the bOunties allowed
by the AGENT General on each properly
qualified migrant secured. Num-
bers o. 5migrants have thus been Sc
cured 20 North and South America,
where the Governments have allowed
bounties, and there, has also been an
allowance TO the agents from the ship
ping companies.
The plan Mr.. F'raire has in view is
to first Of all interview the planters
of the North, and make arrangements
with them for the employment OF
those whom he might bring out, or to
fix the conditions under which they
would be prepared to lease land to the
new settlers, the terms under which
they would be prepared to buy the
cane, what advances might be expect
ed on standing crops, etc. Then he
4 friends
and relatives from those already here,
and. proceeding to Italy, he would
place himself in communication with
the emigration agents there, and with
their assistance get in touch with
those villages where the best material
could be obtained. In order that there |
might De no glut caused, Mr.. Fraire |
would prefer 10 send these people out |
in patches of about twenty-five at reg |
ular intervals, and on arrival they |
could go straight into the positions
prepared for them. Those Italians who |
have already come out in most cases |
have first gone into the employ of their
but, having become ac- |
uuainted with the customs of the coun- |
try. they soon ind they can do better
by obtaining Queensland employers. II
the Government fall in with Mr.. |
Fraire's plans, he expresses confidence |
that before couple of years are |
passed they viii find they will be able
to obtain agriculturists from this
source without assisting in paying |
their passages. A feature about the |
italian families who have already set
tied here is that the children are in
clined 10 entirely lose their national
character, and, though the conversa-
ton o. their parents causes them to
acquire the Italian language, they do
not care for il, and prefer to use on
Ill occa sions the language which they
ind in common use around them. The
unknown land OF their parents has no
place IN their regards, and thus in one
generation they become as entirely
Australian as those of British descent.
Mr.. Fraire relates this with evident
'egret AS an Italian who spent the
earliest years Of his life in his own
and. he would prefer to see the ma
ional language and character pre-
served, but q different view will be
aiken by those whose interests are
Australian, and who must therefore
Jew with favor this assimilative
Italian immigration,
,Ir. F'raire declares, has been most
ucceSSful in North and South Amerl-
"a and California. In these places the
mini grants have gone in mainly for
griculture, cultiyating wheat, and
ruits, such as grapes, etc. Mr.. Fraire
ooks upon the sugar industry as the
,est for the Italians to enter into here,
because of the ready market provided
It the mills, and because he considers
hey have already proved their adapta-
,ility for it, both as lessees and labor
RS for the planters. AS a result OF a
circular which was published on the
ubject applications for further partic-
liars have been received from Scran-
on, Pennsylvania, and also from va
ious parts of Italy. Newspapers and
eputies have also written letters OF
acknowledgement to Mr.. F'raire. That
Gentleman is strong in his convictions
hat the North of Italy is the most
uitable place TO which North Queens
and should look for the agricultural