CO129-536-2 Recruitment of Chinese labourers for Samoa 26-5-1931 - 29-1-1932 — Page 42

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On 8th May, 1931, Mr. Barker of Gibb, Livingston

& Co. brought the following persons to see me :

Lau Yung Hei,

劉容喜

(Liu Yung-hsi )

Shan Kan Lai,

沈金禮

Shen Chin-11)

Leung Hop (licensee of Hop Kei Chan) (Liang Ho)

and two "Hak Tau",

Leung Fo and

Li Iun.

The procedure was described as follows.

Suppose Gibb, Livingston & Co. want 500 men for

Samoa. The Company tell the compradore who tells Mr.

Lau and Mr. Chan. Mr. Sham tells Leung Hop and

Leung Hop passes on the news to various "liak Tau"

more than 20 in all. The "Hak Tau" go up country. They

go to different places, e.g., Tak Hing and further up

river, San Jui, Wai Chau, but not to watow, Ka Ying

Chau or Heung Shan, The "Hak Tau" will be a man who

himself comes from the district to which he goes

recruiting. He goes round the farming districts and

soes likely candidates and also sees their parents.

If a man agrees to come, he writes his name and age on

a piece of blank paper which the "Hak Tau" keeps.

"Hak Tau" makes it clear that the object is to go to

Samoa but that in the first instance the men will go to

Hongkong where they will stay for a time, be examined,

and be either accepted or rejected. Anyone rejected

will be returned to the country. The fare to Hongkong

is mostly paid by the candidate; but in some cases if

he has got no money, the "Hak Tau" pays it. When

"Hak Tau" has collected 10-20 men in the country, they

all come down together to Hongkong.

The

The "Hak Tru" takes

them