Farm labour

The Herald reports that Kiwis do not want to work on local dairy farms. This is no surprise. In the 19th century, Australian farmers paid survival wages when they targeted Pacific Islanders, hijacking them to work and the “recruiters” were called “blackbirders”. In the 20th century the colonial government in Fiji used the same tactics, using a less emotional but similar “recruitment process”, which they renamed “indentured labour”.

In the 21st century, Kiwi farmers have carried on the modern practice but realised Pacific people might be a touch too sensitive to “recruit” and have sourced “field labourers” from Asia. It was called slavery on the American plantations, blackbirding in Australia, indentured labour in Fiji and now “foreign workers” in New Zealand. What has changed?

Dick Cuthbert, Herne Bay.