i3o THE CORAL LANDS OF THE PACIFIC. 



planter, whose difficulties in obtaining labour were thereby 

 materially increased.' 



It is true that for a time the native taxation scheme did 

 interfere, to a certain extent, with the supply of Fijian labour 

 for white men's estates ; but the temporary inconvenience was 

 caused by the Government as much in the planters' interests 

 as that of the Fijians and other natives. 



Some 6000 Polynesian labourers (from other groups outside 

 Fiji) had been working on Fiji estates, and their time of service 

 had expired. The Government, anxious to establish the fail- 

 fame of Fiji in the islands where these people came from, deter- 

 mined that, in accordance with the terms of their agreement, 

 they should be returned to their homes. 



The whole of the labour trade of the colony is in the hands 

 of the Government. The labourers are engaged for three 

 years at a time, at three pounds per adult per annum, payable 

 to the Immigration Department, plus aboiit twelve pounds to 

 cover the cost of passage to Fiji and their return home. Boys 

 are engaged at half these rates. Food and clothing bring up 

 the cost of the labourer to the planter to about ten pounds per 

 annum. 



This supply is supplemented by the native Fijians, the 

 younger of Avhom are always willing to work for the planters 

 at similar wages ; but the law limits their engagements to one 

 year at a time. These men are of great service, as they 

 can be engaged for a few weeks or months only when re- 

 quired. 



Compare these wages with those paid to the Chinamen in 

 the Sandwich Islands or in the British West Indies, and it will 

 be seen what advantages the Fiji planter possesses, especially 

 as the Fijian or Polynesian is in every way the superior of 

 the coolie. Coolies to a limited extent have been introduced 



