496 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



control, but it is said that a Crown Colony can 

 give guarantees which a Protectorate cannot. 

 It looks very much like red tape. It is impera- 

 tive that outside labour be obtained, as the 

 islander is going very fast. From what I saw 

 of the boys they are fine workers, and give 

 very little trouble; the rate of pay is IDS. a 

 month, length of contract two years. Kaikai, 

 ij Ib. rice per diem, unlimited quantities of 

 sweet potatoes, &c., and a ration of meat twice 

 a week. I reckon that the cost per unit is 

 very nearly 50 per cent, less than the coolie 

 costs us, reckoning his wages at 2os. per 

 month. 



u There is no chance of obtaining freehold 

 land now in the Solomons, and leases are also 

 difficult to obtain owing to the Government 

 Resident, of which it is not necessary to speak. 



4< The Germans at Bouganville Island are 

 encouraging settlement, and give so many 

 hectares of land to bona fide settlers, and help 

 them to procure labour. In this way many 

 companies have gone there which, had land 

 been obtainable in the British Solomons, would 

 not have done so. 



" There is nothing in the nature of a town 

 right through the group. Messrs. Burns Philp 

 and Co. and Lever Brothers have stations 

 here and there on the various islands which, 

 in the majority of cases, are freehold. 



"The class of men employed struck me as 

 leaving little to be desired ; the firm give them 



