614 MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 



have of late endeavoured to free themselves from pro- 

 fessional recruiting, which in Java, on account of the 

 abuses attending such recruiting, is unpopular with the 

 natives, expensive in working, and often unable to supply 

 or supplies too slowly the demand for suitable labour. 

 They applied for and obtained a licence as recruiting 

 agents, and themselves managed the recruiting on behalf 

 of their estates. This plan, however, has not so far 

 received much extension on account of the heavy expenses 

 connected with it. 



During the last year or two the Deli Planters' Asso- 

 ciation on the East Coast of Sumatra has also been 

 engaged in recruiting in Java under their own manage- 

 ment. This recruiting is done by labourers who have 

 worked for a number of years on the estates in the above- 

 mentioned district, and the majority of whom go to Java 

 for some considerable time on leave of absence, being 

 consequently still in the service of the employer con- 

 cerned. Such labourers act as assistants of the recruiting 

 office established in Java by the aforesaid Association, 

 after having obtained a licence from the authorities, and 

 recruit in Java amongst the members of their family and 

 friends. 



This method of recruiting has the advantage that 

 labourers can be recruited from a superior class of people 

 than the wanderers, who are the first to be got hold of 

 by the professional recruiting officers. Moreover, the 

 risk of fraud and misrepresentation is lessened by the fact 

 that the recruiting assistants, knowing that they may 

 perhaps be working afterwards on the same estates as 

 the men now engaged by them, will not so easily resort 

 thereto as the professional recruiting officers, whose 

 relations with the recruits completely cease after embarka- 

 tion, and who have therefore nothing more to fear from 

 them. 



Although the Deli Planters' Association has many 

 difficulties to contend with in this respect, it looks as if 

 their efforts will be well rewarded. 



The General Association of Rubber Planters on the 

 East Coast of Sumatra also intend to adopt the above 

 course. 



