THE MALAY PENINSULA 201 



Employers of Tamils were assessed at the rate of 8 dol- 

 lars per coolie for 1912. If coolies are engaged locally, 

 and not through the Immigration Department, an addi- 

 tional assessment of 4 dollars per head is imposed, the 

 object being to stop the crimping of coolies from other 

 estates. Out of the funds so obtained free passages are 

 provided from the recruiting districts in Southern India 

 to the estate in the Malay Peninsula. Hitherto a rebate 

 has been allowed to estates despatching kanganies to 

 the recruiting districts, but this practice has been 

 suspended for the present. 



Javanese labourers are divided into two classes: 

 (i) Those imported under indentures to serve on 

 estates for a period of three years ; and (2) those 

 recruited locally as day labourers without any time 

 contracts. The indentured Javanese are obtained 

 through agents in Java and under conditions imposed 

 by the Javanese Government. A copy of the approved 

 contract is reproduced, showing the responsibilities of 

 both parties to the agreement. The cost of recruiting 

 and importing these coolies varied from 92 to 100 dollars 

 per head in 1912, and is a most serious consideration 

 for many employers. The advantages of possessing a 

 permanent labour force must be set against this high 

 initial expenditure. Endeavours have been made to 

 reduce the cost of importation and arrange for a more 

 plentiful supply; a Commission with this purpose in 

 view was despatched to Java in 1912, to approach the 

 Government on the subject, but met with no practical 

 success. 



The Javanese recruited locally in the Malay Penin- 

 sula are labourers who have come to the country in 



