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

14

Eats)

Samarinda

is of the opinion that, in principle, there is

little difference between the recruitment

of Chinese labour for service in Samoa under

the Chinese Free Labour Ordinance of 1923 and

the proposed arrangement for engaging Chinese for labour under contract in Sarawak by the

Hong Kong Goverment under the "assi sted

emigration" method. And it seems fairly evident from paragraph 2 of Mr. Southorn's despatch that, in reality, there is but the thinnest of dividing lines between assi sted and "indentured" emigration under the Hong Kong

arrangements.

(c

It seems, therefore, that, having

regard to the recent Cabinet decision, we must

review the whole question of the recruitment

of Chinese labour by the Hong Kong Government,

whether for service in other British Colonies

or British Protectorates, or in protected

States like Sarawak, or foreign possessions

like the Dutch East Indies. I think we are

certainly precluded from sanctioning the Sarawak project, and, probably, also that for

the recruitment of Chinese for labour in

Dutch Borneo. We asked for a copy of the

Sarawak contract, and one has now been

forwarded by Sir Cecil Clementi in his

confidential despatch of the 16th December in

52760/27. Provided that the principle of

recruitment of Chinese labour by the Hong Kong

authorities is maintained, the procedure set out in (1) - (4) in paragraph 5 of Mr. Southorn's

despatch is, no doubt, quite safisfactory,

except