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PANT LA P
97
I enquired under what conditions
the shipment was to be made, since under Section 14 of the
Ordinance I have no power to authorize the despatch of
coolles under indenture to any but a British Possession.
He argued that since by Treaty British and German subjects
received equal treatment in Samoa, the Islands for the
purpose of the Ordinance might be considered a British
Possession. I did not treat this contention seriously.
5.
He then said that although the
coolies were indentured he would insert a clause to the
effect that any labourer who after arrival might desire to
return should be repatriated at once. He stated that the
Colonial Secretary had informed him verbally that this
would satisfy the law, and that in point of fact it had }
been done in the case of coolies sent from this port to the
Pellew Islands last year. I promised to give the matter my
immediate consideration.
6.
On investigation the following
points presented themselves:-
In the year 1906, a notice in
Chinese had been posted up in the City purporting to be
written by a Chinese coolie in Samoa, complaining of
continual ill-treatment, and of being denied the means to return,