COCONUT INDUSTRY IN WEST INDIES 107 



certainly be changed to 80 per cent. Selects and 

 20 per cent. Culls. 



It behoves the West Indian planter, therefore, 

 to be content with lower dividends until a 

 higher state of cultivation is obtained. 



Scarcity of labour is mentioned as the great 

 drawback, but this difficulty is surely not in- 

 surmountable. The mere mention of the intro- 

 duction of Chinese labour raises innumerable 

 objections, the principal being that it was tried 

 seventy years ago and failed. Also, that the 

 Chinaman's aim is to be a shop-keeper. To this 

 there can be no objection, provided the Chinese 

 coolie has complied with his labour contract for 

 the stipulated period of service. The Coolie 

 Indenture Ordinance provides ample security in 

 this respect. There would, of course, be much 

 local opposition to overcome ; but where an 

 ideal country is handicapped in the pursuit of 

 Tropical Agriculture by lack of vigorous labour, 

 something should be done to secure adequate 

 conditions. 



The influx of a few thousand Chinese coolies 

 would do mrach to remove the peculiar in- 

 difference to work which is here met with, and, 

 at the same time, be a gain to the country, for 

 the Chinaman is hardworking, domesticated, 

 and very law-abiding. 



Concerning the question of disease, it is un- 

 fortunate that the Government appears to be 

 powerless to enforce the provisions of the Plant 

 Protection Ordinance, which makes it compulsory 



