CO129-399 - Governor Sir May - 1913 [1-2] — Page 127

CONFIDENTIA L.

C.0.

126

4394

REC?

(REGE 6 FEB 131

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG, 14th. January, 1913.

Eve

960

09-10.

sir,

With reference to the correspondence ending

with Lord Crewe's Secret Despatch of the 21st. of January, 1910, I have the honour to transmit the accompanying copy of a letter from Liessrs. Wendt and Company, German Merchants of good standing in this Colony, with its enclosures, asking whether emigration of Chinese to Samoa may be permitted under the contract of service to which the letter gives cover.

In reply to Messrs. Wendt's enquiry I have asked them to ascertain whether the responsible parties in Samoa would be content with a contract for 300 days work for emigrants despatched, with your sanction, before the 1st. of July, 1914, and whether after that date they would be prepared to depend on the

Kangany system of recruiting under which emigrants who are still

employed in Samoa would recruit in China relatives and connections

of their own clan. It was made clear at the same time that the

contracts with the labourers must be signed on arrival in Samoa and not in Hongkong and that arrangements must be made for the return to Hongkong of labourers who on arrival do not wish to enter into contracts. It will be noticed that the contracts provide for free return passages on expiration of the term of the contracts. If these modifications are adopted I can see no reason why Chinese emigration under the supervision of this Government should not be permitted to Samoa where as far as I am aware Chinese are well

treated

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LEWIS HARCOURT, M.P..

&C..

&c.,

&c...