CO129-391 - Acting Governor Claud Severn Governor Sir May - 1912 [7-8] — Page 73

.(0)

.I etuseiont.

.1 109

.noitelana

COPY.

Enclosure 2.

C. 0.

71

dron de dina Lot alet po od 9o. 978tet ndi

Mizuyu......T neidot to soramo) to redofil edt KUT Nİ (? "Hotwodsi osoni20) heugnu id ads erat od ,boniadeb jo, aut bus grili nut

.yaleb spordi- os ab Ilix

Bezvou Ni 308 II

(? Cold ni)

08

C

Hon. Colonial Secretary,

- 31 JUL 12

The coolies were seen by Mr. Lloyd this morn-

-ing, and they all refused to go. Mr. Riddell and Mr. Ohly came

"

in to me, and almost at the same moment the two telegrams attached

were brought in also by four members of the Fukkien Club all

respectable merchants here. In consequence I saw the coolies

such as were left this afternoon; in the presence of these four

Fukkien gentlemen, Er. Riddell and Ir. Ohly. I found them firm in

their refusal; no reason given except that the Borneo climate

would not suit them they had been told so by casual acquaintances

in Hongkong. There were 6 volunteers however to go down and see

what the climate was like; and to come back and report. It was

arranged that these should make the round trip: while the rest

should be returned home by the Fukkien Club the expenses of

returning them to be refunded by the Agents when a shipment did

go through.

втрак

That the men have been "got at" there is no

doubt: but the reason for it is not obvious. It seems to me that

the real reason will be found in Amoy, where some trouble must

have arisen since the coolies left. As a result of this trouble,

nothing could be easier - more difficult to detect than the quiet publication among the coolies of a hint that they were not to go. As they refuse, and cannot be left loose in the Colony in- -definitely, sending them home as soon as possible seems the only course open. Such enquiries as are possible will be made to dis- -cover who is at the bottom of the agitation in Hongkong.

Keanwhile the coolies now returning to Amoy

have been told that they will not in the future be accepted as emigrants: to my mind quite a desirable result of the trouble as they seemed a very poor lot of men, on a casual inspection.

(Sd.) E. R. Hallifax,

Registrar-General.

lat. June, 1912.