Stünzner Family Collection
It was difficult to get Samoans to work on plantations on a full-time basis , so many plantation owners employed Chinese labourers . Stünzner could be a strict boss and disciplinarian but his family treated their Chinese labourers with a humane touch , sharing Christmas Day with them and exchanging presents in a single festive get-together .
It was a sign of Fritz Stünzner ’ s inclusiveness that he called his workers together to be included in this fine photograph , which appears to have been taken not too long after the family ’ s arrival at Tuvao . Stünzner ’ s main plantation supervisor , “ Podsin ” ( Po Ching ) is believed to be the man standing in the middle . He had been Fritz ’ right hand man during his building company days before the First World War .
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