[Underlined heading.] “ASIA …. The White Australia Policy, and YOU.”

This pamphlet is in four sections. Sections 3 and 4 consist of a discussion of the “White Australia” Policy, and a short Historical Summary, and contain nothing that is any way novel. Sections 1 and 2, however, deal with its internal administration, including the indenture system, and the particular cases of Samsudin bin Katib [name underlined] and John Pattiasina [name underlined], both indentured labourers in the pearling industry at Broome, Western Australia, and both returned to their countries of origin on cessation of their employment. These sections are of some concern to this Department, since it exercises control over the admission and departure of all foreigners admitted to the Commonwealth for any specified purpose, including such persons as are dealt with specifically in the pamphlet.

The joint authors, Eric and Elizabeth Marshall, deal in these two sections, almost entirely with the administration of immigration policy in regard to the pearling industry, and with the two men referred to, and make a number of charges, of which the most important are as under:

1. That the Commonwealth Government, despite assurances to the contrary, has approved of the reintroduction of the indenture system, at least in Western Australia.

2. That wages, hours and living conditions in the pearling industry for the imported coloured labour are sub-standard, and that the Government is doing nothing in regard to the matter.

3. That the two men, Samsudin and Pattisiana, were forcibly repatriated because they endeavoured to organise the workers in the pearling industry in an effort to secure reasonable wages and conditions, and that the Minister at least acquieseed [sic] in this matter.

4. That any worker in the pearling industry whom the master pearlers dislike, or who attempts to organise the workers in the industry, can be automatically victimised under the present indenture system and sent out of the country.

In order to determine whether there is any truth or accuracy in these charges, it has been necessary to peruse the files relating to the re-establishment of the pearling industry in 1945, the file relating to the men Samsudin and Pattisiana, and the files relating to applications by the master pearlers for permission to introduce indentured labour, and in particular the file on A.S. Male & Co, which company is the largest employer of labour in the Broome district.

After perusal of these files it seems that the following conclusions are inescapable:

1. That, the Broome district, the indenture system as it existed before the war, is now in full swing.

2. That this was the firm intention of the Premier of West Australia and of Messrs Streeter & Male, Master Pearlers, when the subject of re-establishment of the pearling industry was brought up in November 1945.

3. That there is no evidence that any serious effort is being made by the master pearlers to implement the stipulation made by the Prime Minister in July 1946, when he approved a 5 years extension of the indenture system, namely “that conditions in the industry will be put on a basis more comparable with other avenues of employment in Australia and that every effort will be made to train and introduce Australian labour during that period.” [quote underlined.]

4. That the Broome Shellers Association, which is a recently formed employers’ association, has consistently resisted any attempt on the part of the workers in the industry

[End excerpt.]