300 



TiMEHRl. 



were got to sign and they fulfilled the terms of 

 their contra6ls most satisfa6lorily. They earned more 

 money than they had ever done before, and the 

 FaClory was kept supplied with as many fresh canes as 

 were required. Many men who did not receive bounty 

 nor signed contra6lj worked on the same terms as the 

 contra6led labourers. Little difficulty was experienced 

 in getting 50 men to sign contracts at 20 cents a cord 

 for unburnt and 18 cents for burnt canes in 1885. In 

 1886, 61 men signed contra6ts, and in 1887 150 at 16 

 and 14 cents a cord. 



In 1888 it was decided to divide the men into two classes. 

 63 who had earned over ten shillings a week on the average 

 during the previous crop were given $8 bounty, and 

 those who had earned less but had worked well 

 were given $4. New men were given $4. Con- 

 tra6ls were entered into with 173 men out of 

 double that number who applied. This gang was 

 found to be rather too large and the next year (1889) 

 only 100 men were accepted. A new system of bounties 

 was adopted that season, $5 was paid to each man on 

 signing the contra6l and he was promised $3 more at the 

 end of the term if he fulfilled all its conditions faithfully. 

 For this 1890 grinding, a bounty of $10 has been paid to 

 10 1 picked men and $8 to 38 others. 



On the whole it is found that the system of making the 

 amount of bounty to be paid to two classes dependent on 

 the working of individual men during the previous crop, 

 is the most satisfa6lory one. The bounties are generally 

 offered a couple of months before the grinding 

 starts. This is a great inducement to the labourers to 

 sign the contra6ls as they are glad to get the money in 



