disap,
Administration
it
moller of
the internal
Virawak, through theng
'
could no
doubl.
make representations
They
are
to the Rajah about it insofor
ست
responsible for him at Genevas,
But the question before
for the
whether in veed of
43
Loc
are justified
under strughong law
in letting crime be recruited there,
whether the arrangement.
&
more broadly
ما
7
which
come.
ought
to disapprove
so vigorously
whether it is
lawful
or not.
Hongling as
to vary,
You shall not wre
recruiting ground. Of
Chalm
Chinese
course in practice
that
Ine
Sarawak will
jak
it
Elsewhere,
uncontão Cled.
After considering the broad
please pass
ground of policy
Im. Shekar do
a
ground of
the narrarou
of this letter
&
spirit of
the existing stonglong law.
26.229
G. E
Page
Page
Enc
9
(See No.3)
Section 17 of the Hong Kong Ordinance
(No. 30 of 1915) enacts that "no emigrant ship
shall carry any emigrants except free emigrants."
As I understand the position, under the proposed new arrangement the Emigrant Labourer
would not sign any agreement before leaving hong
Kong for Sarawak, but when the terms of his
employment were verbally explained to him in hong
Kong he would be required to give a verbal
undertaking to repay the cost of his passage
(not exceeding $48) by monthly instalments.
It can hardly, I think be argued that
in these circumstances the labourer is a free
emigrant, but the he was not in practice "free"
1
even under the old arrangement. The question
is whether on the whole the proposed arrangement
is one which on grounas of policy we ought to
turn down. I do not think it is. It is not
anticipated that the proposal will in actual
practice adversely affect the interests of the
labourer, and the evils of the alternative method
of recruitment are so real that I think this is
the consideration which should influence our
decision.
Provided the approval is strictly
tentative as to time as proposed in Mr. Beckett's
1
minute, I should approve the Officer Administering
the Government's recommendation.
5.Kastriss
28/2/29. I per. Essord. ́2872/19.
age 9
age 9
Page
Page
ge 10
10
That isso
I assume that we are only concerned with
this business from the Hong Kong end, and not at
the Sarawak end, that is to say that we are not
concerned to consider whether the terms on which
labourers are engaged in Sarawak are legitimate.
The O.A.G. of Hong Kong tells us that the request
of Sarawak was refused on the grounds that the
procedure proposed was contrary to the spirit of
Section 17 of Ordinance 30 of 1915, which forbids
emigration from Hong Kong of indentured labourers.
I think that this decision was correct, and that
the refusal of the Hong Kong Government ought to be
upheld. It is perfectly clear that these emigrants
will leave Hong Kong under conditions which, in
effect, destine them to become indentured labourers,
and I do not think the Hong Kong Government, in view
of its legislation, is justified in conniving at an
arrangement of this kind.
B.V. Veran
4.3.29
In my opinion the proposed ancampment with contrary to the spait & the letter of it. 30 of 1915. Sec. 17 porbids smigrant steps to carry
ing
out pas conegrants. This tum is defined
Vo f. 2
under ang
مت
meaning Emigrants who are contract of service whatever. The $67
applies to all smigrants who have apeed
to
Lair
4. K. in order to supor as
labourers stouter.
The Smigrants may
The fact that the apeement, into wh: Ty lave
^
ge 10Page 11
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