CO129-565-13 Recruitment of Chinese labourers for employment abroad 1-8-1937 - 30-3-1938 — Page 34

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EXTRACT FROM MONTHLY REVIEW OF CHINESE

AFFAIRS. AUGUST, 1937.

VI. RECRUITMENT OF LABOUR IN CHINA FOR ABROAD.

The introduction by the Government of China of

rules governing the recruitment of labourers in China for

work abroad has been referred to in several earlier Reviews.

(Cf. Reviews LVIII, p.41; LIX, p.11; LX, p. 28; LXII,

p.37; LXV, p.61; LXXIV, pp.43–44).

In June of this year a recruiter from Malayan

Collieries, Limited, Selangor, went to Swatow to recruit

200 labourers for work at the Collieries.

On arrival at

Swatow he was informed by the Overseas Affairs Bureau at

that port that the "Rules for the control of the recruiting

of labourers by labour recruiting agents" and the "Principles

governing contracts for labourers proceeding abroad" would

be enforced in respect of the recruitment of these labourers.

This is the first known instance of the

application of these rules, and their enforcement would

considerably affect the methods of supply of labour from

the southern maritime provinces of China to Malaya. In

view of their importance the 'Rules' and 'Principles' are

here published in full. (A summary was published in

Review LXXIV, pp.43-44).

RULES for the control of the Recruiting of

Labourers by Labour Recruiting Agents.

(Promulgated by the Overseas

(Affairs Committee on November 6th,

1936.