P Y.
41
On 8th May, 1931, Mr. Barker of Gibb, Livingston
& Co. brought the following persons to see me :
Lau Yung Hei,
劉容喜
(Liu Yung-hsi )
Shan Kan Lai,
沈金禮
Shen Chin-11)
Leung Hop (licensee of Hop Kei Chan) (Liang Ho)
and two "Hak Tau",
Leung Fo and
Li Iun.
The procedure was described as follows.
Suppose Gibb, Livingston & Co. want 500 men for
Samoa. The Company tell the compradore who tells Mr.
Lau and Mr. Chan. Mr. Sham tells Leung Hop and
Leung Hop passes on the news to various "liak Tau"
more than 20 in all. The "Hak Tau" go up country. They
go to different places, e.g., Tak Hing and further up
river, San Jui, Wai Chau, but not to watow, Ka Ying
Chau or Heung Shan, The "Hak Tau" will be a man who
himself comes from the district to which he goes
recruiting. He goes round the farming districts and
soes likely candidates and also sees their parents.
If a man agrees to come, he writes his name and age on
a piece of blank paper which the "Hak Tau" keeps.
"Hak Tau" makes it clear that the object is to go to
Samoa but that in the first instance the men will go to
Hongkong where they will stay for a time, be examined,
and be either accepted or rejected. Anyone rejected
will be returned to the country. The fare to Hongkong
is mostly paid by the candidate; but in some cases if
he has got no money, the "Hak Tau" pays it. When
"Hak Tau" has collected 10-20 men in the country, they
all come down together to Hongkong.
The
The "Hak Tru" takes
them