494 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



11 The final plantation that I could have 

 visited was at Vila, but we only stopped an 

 hour, so had no opportunity of landing. The 

 country is fine and level, with very little 

 swamp, and planting was first started some 

 two years ago. This is what is known as 

 an Employees' Company, Lever Brothers 

 having half the interest, and the employees 

 in the firm being allowed to take up the other 

 half of the shares at par. The whole concern 

 is managed by Messrs. Lever Brothers, the 

 company, of course, having the advantage 

 of all their knowledge. 



"Stanmore is another Employees' Company, 

 upon which only a small amount of work is 

 yet done. 



" There were many other properties and 

 plantations which, of course, were not visited, 

 as they were only in their infancy, there being 

 no copra or other produce to collect. 



"The steamer returned to Gavutu on 

 Friday, the i8th, and left again the same after- 

 noon for Sydney, at which port we arrived 

 at 8 a.m. the following Friday, after a very 

 pleasant trip. 



" In giving one's impressions it is, of course, 

 difficult to give more than an outline, and it is 

 quite impossible to relate the very interesting 

 conversations I had with the various employees, 

 from the general manager of the company 

 downwards. I can say, however, that Messrs. 

 Lever Brothers have a o-reat future before 



o 



them in the Solomons. 



