CO129-328 - Governor Nathan - 1905 [1-6] — Page 780

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the discharge of the crew of the "Inkula" without such a

deposit being made was therefore unusual.

The 2nd. paragraph of the Board

of Trade's letter of the 29th. April justifies the regula-

-tions and conditions imposed at Hongkong with respect to

the discharge of seamen. These regulations and conditions

are essential for keeping the number of destitute Europeans

in the Colony within manageable limits.

(5).

In what respects did the men al- -lege that they had been misled with regard to their agreements ? On what grounds did Captain Barnes- -Lawrence, in his minute of 15th. December, suggest that the owners' guarantee might not be genuine, and in his minute of 24th. December express the opinion that the action of the owners in discharging the men in accordance with an agreement, with money in their possession and with a promise of repatriation if they become destitute, was "unscrupulous" ?

The men were unanimous in saying

before the Harbour Master and the Italian Consul-General

that they had been informed that they were to receive at

the port of discharge one month's pay in addition to their

passage to England. Though it is possible that they were

mistaken in this, the stipulation would not in itself have

been unreasonable as the journey to England occupies over

a month and the men might have had to incur further ex-

-pense in getting to their homes on the Continent.

Captain Barnes-Lawrence states

that the grounds on which he suggested in his minute of the

15th.

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