1.
For 552
Requests
usbuchin
27.12.29.
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minimum period of senu it
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21
Requests
agents in 16
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Gr Gen N.Z. (hut-
Assisted Emigrants she be mustard
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27-2-30
2
W. Samen Administration s additional clause to be unrested in Rower of agreement for seunce These despatches submit two proposals:-
(1).
the support of the #Z.Fol from the Western Samoa Administration that that
with
the minimum period of service of Chinese
labourers imported to the Territory from
Hong Kong should be raised from 3 to 4
years.
(2).
from the Western Samoa Administration's
agents in Hong Kong (Messrs. Gibb
Livingstone & Co) on behalf of their
principals that a new clause should be
included in the contract to be signed by
the labourers on arrival in Samoa to the
effect that labourers becoming unemployed
of their own fault or leaving their
employers without valid reason should pay
their own "overhead charges"( 9d a daj
day
during the period for which they were out
of employment.
The recruitment in Hong Kong of labour for
Western Samoa dates from 1920. Previous to that
year, Chinese labour had been recruited by direct
arrangement with the provincial Government of
Kwang Tung. The Secretary of State agreed to
recruitment in Hong Kong subject to the observance
of the Hong Kong law as to Chinese emigrants. The
law in question is the Asiatic Emigrants Ordinance,
clause 17 of which provides that "no emigrants
ship shall carry any emigrants except free emigrants
"free emigrants" being defined as an emigrant who is
not under any contract of service whatever.
The terms of service in Samoa are based on tre
Chinese