CO129-503-7 Chinese labour- recruitment for work in coal mines in Sarawak 17-9-1926 - 14-2-1928 — Page 11

6. Goo Comf

(Eats furt position writ

regard

9/11/27

indentures thatot

and assisted emigration

сойт

It appears from the last enclosure in

the despatch that assisted emigration on terms

which might be regarded as being, in practice,

indentured labour, has been allowed to a number

Further of places. as the Governor points out, emigra-

h

:

tion nominally free but actually assisted, goes

on, whether recognised or not. It is, however, desirable that it should, if possible, be regulated

as he explains in para. 3. On these grounds,

therefore, it seems desirable that principles of

procedure on the lines suggested in para. 5, should

be approved, (principle No.2 however, is not very

the

clear; in particular reference to indentured

labourers could hardly be retained as nominally

indentured labour is not allowed).

In his minute of the 11th of July, however,

Sir Gilbert Grindle referred to a recent Cabinet

decision on the subject.

I have not been able

to get a copy of this, but I understand that it

was simply that the Cabinet refused to approve

the recommendation of the New Hebrides Commission

for the importation of Chinese labour. I further

understand that this decision was taken on general

grounds of policy and, in view of it, the general

assisten

me

permission to approve a system of emigration as

ed

suggest in para. 5 can hardly be given, and

we must continue the practice of requiring proposals

for

o such, to be referred home.

With regard to the Sarawak scheme on which

all this has arisen, the best plan will probably

be to let the whole matter drop, at any rate until

we