CO129-370 - Governor Sir Lugard & Public Offices - 1910 [12] — Page 247

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arrival of the labourer at his destination. The drawback to

this proposal is that this Government canot know anything of

the employer, and that under the 1904 Convention the oystem

may necessitate negociation with the Chinese overinent which it

would be obviously better to avoid.

Though I do not say that the signing of contracte hore is out of the question I am on these grounds

inclined to prefer the solution proposed by r. darnes viz. that "the employer sends a man whom he knows and can trust to China

with funds, and this man brings down a batch of friends and

relatives who work for the employer until they have paid off

the moneye exponded upon their passage dc.". i would however,

modify this broad principle in the following ways:-

(a) Every agent thus sent to recruit will be furnished

with a letter from the Protector of Chinose, traite bottlements,

to the Registrar General, Hongkong, accompanied by identifica-

tion papers.

The possession of this vised pass will probably

protect the recruiter from interference by the Chinese police.

(b) After having obtained his labourers ho will report

himself with them at the Emigration Office here, and they will

be examined in accordance with the oxisting practice. The re-

cruiter will state the total amount due on account of passages

&c. from each labourer, and this will be onterod by the wi-

gration Officer on a paper given to the recruit. With the elimina-

tion of the extortinate charges made under the present system

both by the recruiter and the sourding House keeper the charges

(oven after including the exponses of the agent) should be omall.

The labourer will at the same time be assured that the contract

will include the provisions specified in my paragraph 4 and a

stamp duty will be charged to cover the expenses of the Hongkong

Emigtation Office. The Protector of Chinese, Straite Settlononta,

will