THE NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES 249 



an estate, including tapping and collecting, weeding, 

 road-making, cutting drains, and hoeing. On the 

 majority of the plantations the managers express 

 themselves satisfied with the work done by the 

 Javanese. 



The rate of wages paid to indentured Javanese is 

 33 cents a day for men and 28 cents for women under 

 the contract, but on some plantations a higher wage is 

 given voluntarily to expert tappers. 



When the three years' contract expires, a large number 

 of the coolies prefer to remain on the estates instead of 

 returning to Java. To such men as elect to follow this 

 course a wage of 40 cents per diem is given, but the 

 women continue to receive only 28 cents per day. 



Rice is supplied by the employers at cost price, but 

 no other food. On most estates a store is established 

 and rented out to Chinamen, subject to certain restric- 

 tions in regard to prices on goods sold to the coolies. 

 This is a necessary prevision when the estate is at any 

 great distance from any village, for the labourers require 

 dried fish, cocoanut-oil, curry stuffs, fruit, vegetables, 

 and many other articles. Fresh fish, when obtainable, 

 forms a part of the regular diet, but meat, except pork, 

 is rarely eaten. 



Chinese coolies are also employed on many estates. 

 They are recruited in China through agents, and in- 

 dentured to serve for one year, or, excepting holidays, 

 for 300 days. The cost of introduction at present is 

 85 guilders per head, no part of which is recoverable. 

 The wages rate for these indentured Chinese is 33 cents 

 per diem. They do fairly satisfactory work, but, owing 

 to the heavy preliminary cost and the short term of 



