35

A.—4a.

APPENDIX. TERMS OF LABOUR CONTRACT FOR CHINESE LABOUR IN WESTERN SAMOA. 1. The labourer has to do diligently and conscientiously all work ordered. He has to obey strictly the orders of his employer. He must not be ordered to do dangerous work. He is not to be put to work in mines, or to construct railroads (light rails for plantation work excepted), or military service, or the construction of forts. On landing in Samoa, and until a position is found for him, he will work for the Government on public works. As labour is applied for he will be drafted to one of the following employments--viz., plantation work in rubber, cocoa, coffee, cattle, &c. ; housework, domestic duties, cooks, &c, if required. The labourers arc not to be employed outside Western Samoa. 2. The monthly wage is to be £1 10s. per month. Rates for overtime will be double the ordinary rate. Broken hours of overtime are to be regarded as full time. An equal amount of time off may be taken in lieu of overtime if agreed to by the labourer. A bonus of 2s. per month will be paid annually to all labourers who have clean records for the year. 3. The daily working-hours shall be nine hours and a half, but as soon as the temperature reaches 100° F. nine hours only shall be worked. After working-hours the labourers are free, but must be back in their homes by 9 p.m. 4. For plantation labourers no work shall be done on Sundays, Ist January, Christmas Day, the King's Birthday, and on six Chinese holidays, except with the consent of the Chinese Consul. During holidays the labourers are to be allowed to go out without restriction. 5. The contract is for a period of three years, at the end of which period the labourer will be repatriated. With the permission of the Administrator and the Chinese Consul, a labourer may reindenture under a new contract. The terms contained under a new contract must be acceptable to and agreed upon by the time-expired labourer. The first contract will commence on tho day on which the steamer leaves China, but no wages will be paid during the voyage, but will be paid from the day on which the steamer arrives in Apia, Samoa. Labourers will be repatriated to their native village at the expense of their employer. Non-attendance to work owing to the neglect of the labourer entails deduction of proportionate wages, or, should the labourer elect to remain in Samoa, neglected work must be done at the expiration of the first contract, and during the first, period of the second contract, at the same rate of wages and under the same conditions as herein contained. Contracts with increased, wages may be renewed at the labourer's option, and are not compulsory. Renewed contracts are not bound to be for three years, and in no case are they to be for more than three years. 6. Approved labourers are permitted to take their wives with them to Samoa at the cost of the Administration. Those labourers taking advantage of this privilege will be expected to sign a sixyears contract —the first three years at the rate of wages as laid down in paragraph 2, the second three years at an advance to be agreed upon by the employer and the labourer. Such advance is to be at a minimum of 10s. per month, either with the same or with the new employer. The employer bears the cost of the outward and return passage, and has to provide for sufficient maintenance, to be laid down by the Medical Officer and agreed to by the shipping contractor, and medical treatment free of cost to the labourer during the voyage. An outfit of clothing, shoes, and travelling-kit will be supplied to each labourer before embarking ; he will also receive 10s. as pocket-money for the voyage, which will be supplied by the recruiting firm at no cost to the labourer. The recruiting agent will pay to the labourer, before leaving China, one month's wages in advance. This money is to be refunded to the Administration of Samoa by monthly instalments within one year. 7. At his destination the labourer will be supplied free of cost with sufficient and good food, rice, meat, or fish and vegetabfe, with lodgings, bed, mosquito-net, and medical treatment. One serviceable suit and hat will be supplied annually. In wet weather the labourer will be provided with suitable protecting clothes and hat at the cost of the employer. The allowance of rations will be—l lb. 10| oz. of rice, § lb. of meat or fish, 1J oz. of fat, and ample vegetables per day, and J lb. of tea per month. 8. The savings of wages of labourers will be sent to China free of cost, and are to be remitted at the rate of 2s. to the dollar, Hong Kong currency, the Samoa Administration to guarantee the payment of the difference of exchange. 9. Letters of the labourers shall be forwarded home at the cost of the employer, such letters to be posted by the labourer himself. In all cases where the Administration is paying the exchange on remittances, such remittance will be forwarded by the Administration. An official receipt will be given to the labourer at the time he remits. Remittances may be made to relations through the high authorities in China, or to any person nominated by the labourer. 10. If the labourer be unable to work owing to an illness which is not brought on by his own neglect, the employer must pay him his full wages and supply him with food for six weeks. In the event of the illness extending over that period, food must be supplied free, but wages cannot be claimed, and the labourer can be returned to China by the first vessel, in which case sufficient food and money must be supplied by the employer to enable the labourer to reach his native place, in addition to pocket-money, the amount of which will be agreed upon by the Administration and the Chinese Consul. 11. If the labourer neglects or refuses to work, or be unfit for work owing to an illness for which he is himself to blame (the Chief Medical Officer will decide this point), an amount corresponding to days not worked may be deducted from his wages for the month. In case of such sickness, however, such foods and medicines as the Chief Medical Officer directs must be supplied free.