Coco-nuts in the Solomon Islands 495 



" Speaking generally, I would say that land 

 can be planted in the Solomons for 455. an 

 acre. This, of course, does not include the 

 cost of the land. Planters should compare 

 this with our cost in Samao. 



" Felling costs 8s. 6d. The Malaita boy 

 simply revels in this work : he likes taking life, 

 even if it is only the life of a tree, consequently 

 competition between them is very great. 



" Springboards are used when felling the 

 big timber. They are about 3 ft. 6 in. long 

 by 6 in. wide, and taper from, say, 4 in. to 2 in. 

 The wedge end is shod with a piece of iron, 

 almost similar to a horse-shoe, with the spike 

 sticking up, which catches in the top of the 

 cut, making the foothold quite firm. 



" The labour question, of course, is as much 

 a worry in the Solomons as it is in Samoa, 

 and high prices are now being paid for recruit- 

 ing boys. ,10 is looked upon as the usual 

 figure, but I have heard of cases in which 

 12 is being asked. Most of the boys are 

 being recruited from Malaita Island. This 

 does not, of course, refer to Messrs. Lever 

 Brothers, who have their own recruiting vessel, 

 and I should think that the cost to them would 

 not exceed 6 per head. 



"There is talk now of making the Islands 

 a Crown Colony, it is then hoped that the 

 British Government will give permission for 

 the importation of Indians. Why this should 

 be I do not know, as it is all under British 



