156 A NATURALIST IN CANNIBAL LAND 



KUMUSI : When I was on the s.s. Kia-Ora last 

 November, there were sixty native labourers returning 

 to their homes, all with boxes full of trade. These 

 men had hardly time to get to their villages before 

 other natives began to flock in to " sign on," and in 

 some twenty-five or thirty cases the same boys who 

 came up by the steamer also came in, which is sure 

 evidence that their previous term of service had not 

 been too hard. It takes years for a native to overcome 

 his natural antipathy to go any distance from his 

 village, and very often, although the boy may be 

 willing, the influence brought to bear by his parents 

 is too strong; but when the parents and others see 

 the boys coming back, looking healthy, strong, and 

 in the pink of condition, with their boxes full of good 

 things, it will be only a matter of time for the prejudice 

 to pass away. 



SOUTH-EAST DIVISION : The Murua natives are 

 still disinclined to " sign on " to work for Europeans, 

 preferring the free and easy life, sailing about in 

 canoes for the major part of their time and visiting 

 their neighbours; but, as in foregoing years, the 

 Government had no difficulty in getting " boys " 

 from the local villages to work on new roads and other 

 public works when their services were required. 



EASTERN DIVISION : The supply of native labour 

 has been equal to the demands within the Division. 

 The death-rate at Port Moresby and Lakekamu Gold- 

 field has seriously interfered with the labour available 



