CO129-522-9 Chinese labour in Western Samoa 22-10-1929 - 19-1-1931 — Page 2

1.

For 552

Requests

usbuchin

27.12.29.

propaol

Am

minimum period of senu it

hm 3 10

o Ab 112

21

Requests

agents in 16

MA

A

Gr Gen N.Z. (hut-

Assisted Emigrants she be mustard

propant pro

27-2-30

2

W. Samen Administration s additional clause to be unrested in Rower of agreement for seunce These despatches submit two proposals:-

(1).

the support of the #Z.Fol from the Western Samoa Administration that that

with

the minimum period of service of Chinese

labourers imported to the Territory from

Hong Kong should be raised from 3 to 4

years.

(2).

from the Western Samoa Administration's

agents in Hong Kong (Messrs. Gibb

Livingstone & Co) on behalf of their

principals that a new clause should be

included in the contract to be signed by

the labourers on arrival in Samoa to the

effect that labourers becoming unemployed

of their own fault or leaving their

employers without valid reason should pay

their own "overhead charges"( 9d a daj

day

during the period for which they were out

of employment.

The recruitment in Hong Kong of labour for

Western Samoa dates from 1920. Previous to that

year, Chinese labour had been recruited by direct

arrangement with the provincial Government of

Kwang Tung. The Secretary of State agreed to

recruitment in Hong Kong subject to the observance

of the Hong Kong law as to Chinese emigrants. The

law in question is the Asiatic Emigrants Ordinance,

clause 17 of which provides that "no emigrants

ship shall carry any emigrants except free emigrants

"free emigrants" being defined as an emigrant who is

not under any contract of service whatever.

The terms of service in Samoa are based on tre

Chinese