604 MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 



which he bound himself, to carry out faithfully all orders 

 issued by the employer or his staff, and to act in ever}' 

 way in conformity with his contract. He may not 

 absent himself from the estate on which he is employed 

 without a written permit, except on free days and when, 

 on account of ill-treatment, he wishes to make a complaint 

 against the employer or his staff. 



The number of working hours may not exceed ten 

 per day under the contract. 



(6) Treatment of the Labourer. In addition to his 

 material obligations under the contract in connection 

 with public rights, the employer is charged under the 

 coolie ordinance w r ith the proper treatment of his 

 labourers, by which is understood such conduct towards, 

 and intercourse with, the labourers as may be claimed by 

 them as free men. Without good treatment, showing 

 appreciation and respect for his manners and customs, 

 the workman will never feel contented and at home and 

 become part and parcel of the estate on behalf of which 

 he has contracted to serve. 



In further explanation of the above it may be added 

 that rough and coarse behaviour towards the labourers, 

 beating, abusing, refusal to listen to and deal calmly 

 with the complaints and requests of the workers, 

 however insignificant such complaints may sometimes 

 appear in Western eyes, punishments by means of 

 ordering the labourer to do disagreeable or dirty work, 

 haggling over wages and other similar persecutions, 

 would all be acts which must be considered as contrary 

 to the requirements of proper treatment under the coolie 

 ordinance. 



By acts such as these the employer estranges tne 

 labourer, causing the latter to harbour a feeling of 

 revenge towards him which slowly grows to hatred and 

 may lead to serious consequences as the labourer, bound 

 by his contract, cannot leave the estate on which he 

 feels discontented. And if at any time an attack should 

 be made on the employer's staff, the direct cause may 

 have been an ordinary box on the ear or some abusive 

 language, even provoked perhaps by a defiant and 

 improper attitude of the labourer, but the real cause 



