CO129-503-7 Chinese labour- recruitment for work in coal mines in Sarawak 17-9-1926 - 14-2-1928 — Page 15

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except that, as Mr. Caine points out, the word "indentured" in (2) has evidently crept in per incurian, and should be omitted. But it seems to

Ikat

me/the recruitment of Chinese ak

tto

Routh wink is

by Ilong Kong

should in future be confined, as far as possible,

letons in other

to recruitment for rein/British Colonies and

Protectorates only.

I should perhaps mention that at the

Tenth Session of the International Labour Conference

held at Geneva last year, a Resolution was passed concerning native labour to the following effect:-

"The Conference notes the appointment by the Governing Body of a Committee of Experts to enquire into the conditions of native labour, and hopes that, as a result of the work of the Committee, it will be

possible to place the questions of forced and indentured labour on the Agenda of the Conference at

an early date, . . . . . ."

The

It has since then been decided that the question will be placed in the Agenda of the International Labour Conference next year. Far Eastern Department have their own papers as to the documentary enquiry which the International Labour Office recently carried out on the subject of native labour in various Asiatic territories,

and are thus familiar with the attitude of this

Howard

international organisation on the subjects of

forced and indentured labour. (See, e.g., 29226/27 Malay States). It is to be expected that the practice of the British Colonial Governments in the

East in the matter of recruiting Chinese labour under the indenture or contract system will come in for the most searching enquiry by the international

Labour