4o6 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Dec.  2,  1895. 
At  first  the  kanganies  were  rather  opposed  to  the 
coolies  being  paid  monthly,  as  they  were  afraid 
they  would  be  unable  to  recover  the  debts  due  by  the 
coolies,  and  they  would  not  bo  able  to  repay  their 
coast  advances,  and  the  system  had  to  be  introduced 
gradually.  Experience  has  now  proved  that  the  coolies 
are  not  more  inclined  to  leave  the  estate  (or  in 
other  words  bolt)  than  when  the  quarterly  payment 
system  was  in  force.  For  many  reasons  the  coolies 
prefer  the  monthly  payment  of  their  balance  and 
as  a rule  many  of  them  know  exactly  how  much  they 
have  to  get;  but  about  a “peranal”  time  they  like 
having  a little  extra  cash,  and  hence  the  request 
that  two  months'  balances  he  paid  together.  Accord- 
ing to  the  law  as  it  is  at  present  one  runs  a risk 
of  losing  his  coolies  by  witholding  the  balance  of 
pay  due  to  them  for  a longer  period  than  sixty  days. 
1 do  not  think  it  would  be  advisable  to  ask  Gov- 
ernment to  make  monthly  payments  compulsory, 
that  it  might  be  beneficial  to  the  coolies  I admit ; 
but  it  might  also  be  very  inconvenient  some  mouths 
both  for  proprietor  and  coolies  were  the  system  en- 
forced by  law  ; but  so  many  planters  are  finding  out  for 
themselves  the  advantages  of  the  monthly  pay- 
ment system  that  it  will  probably  ere  long 
be  almost  universal  without  the  interference 
of  Government.  I understand  that  there  are 
Managers  of  estates  who  pay  their  coolies  monthly 
balances  the  following  month,  and  find  it  beneficial 
to  do  so  ; but  my  reason  for  holding  one  clear  month’s 
balance  in  hand  is.  that  should  a cooly  be  in  debt 
to  the  check-roll  that  moiitb,  the  debt  is  recovered 
from  the  previous  balance  about  to  be  paid,  and  tell 
him  this  has  been  done.  While  the  coolies  are  being 
paid  those  who  admit  being  in  debt  to  their  kau- 
ganies,  have  by  mutual  agreement  set  aside  from 
their  pay,  a sum  towards  the  paymeiit  of  the  debt, 
and  as  a record  of  this  payment  is  kept  in  the 
check  roll,  it  can  be  referred  to,  should  any  dispute 
arise  as  to  the  amount  recovered  for  the  kangany. 
It  is  very  seldom  this  has  to  be  referred  to,  and  as 
all  recoveries  of  debt  as  a rule  are  made  at  the 
pay  table,  it  is  also  seldom  there  is  any  squabbling 
over  their  debts  at  the  lines.  These  recoveries  made 
from  the  coolies,  plus  what  can  be  recovered  from 
the  kangany's  pay,  go  towards  his  Coast  advance 
debt  should  that  individual  be  in  debt. 
As  to  the  debts  due  by  the  coolies  to  the  kanganies, 
let  any  planter  attempt  to  bring  a gang  of  coolies  from 
• the  Coast  through  afraid  Agent  other  than  a kangani, and 
he  will  very  soon  find  how  coolies’  debts  mount  up. 
It  is  not  only  the  advances  on  the  Coast,  feeding  and 
transport,  but  after  their  arrival  on  the  estate  there 
is  the  cumbly,  cloths,  chattypaus  and  curry  stuffs 
all  go  towards  his  debt  before  a day’s  work  is  done. 
Should  he  arrive  in  wet  weather  or  at  a feverish 
season  he  may  be  bowled  over  with  fever,  or  if  a lazy 
fellow,  he  may  sham  sickness  and  loaf  in  the  lines 
for  days  and  refuse  to  do  any  work,  llice  has  to  be 
given  him  or  he  will  soon  be  in  a state  he  could 
not  work.  Or  he  may  clear  out  within  10  days  of  his 
arrival,  taking  three  or  four  of  his  companions  with 
him,  necessitating  a further  outlay  of  more  rupees 
and  coolies  to  search  for,  and  when  caught,  bring 
them  back  to  the  estate,  lieing  new  coolies  they 
are  cautioned,  that  if  they  bolt  a second  time 
there  is  a method  of  punishing  coolies  in  Kandy, 
which  is  graphically  described  ; but  even  this  has  not 
always  the  effect  of  keeping  them  on  the  estate. 
Another  attempt  is  made  and  getting  clear  away,  more 
rupees  are  again  dealt  out  and  more  coolies  put  on  their 
track  with  instructions  to  go  andffnd  them.  Ultimately 
they  arc  discovered  and  brought  back,  and  as  they 
can  give  no  satisfactory  reason,  if  any,  for  running 
away,  the  master  is  compelled  to  make  an  example 
of  them  and  to  Court  they  are  sent  and  receive  the 
sentence  of  one  month’s  ri'gorous  imprisonment. 
Under  the  presentable  Administration  of  the  Prisons 
and  the  system  adopted  for  punishing  offenders,  not 
many  coolies  are  likely  to  runaway  a second  time  after 
they  have  had  only  one  month’s  rigorous  imprison- 
ment. , • i.  1 
Though  it  may  appear  that  the  services  of  a cooly 
doing  his  month  in  Kandy  are  lost  to  the  estate 
they  are  not  so,  if  at  the  expiry  of  the  month  the 
coolies  are  brought  back  to  the  estate;  their  experience 
of  prison  life  is  related  in  all  the  lines  before  they 
have  been  24  hours  on  the  estate,  and  for  a time 
at  least  it  has  a very  restraining  effect  and  iudtices 
a more  contented  feeling  amongst  the  others. 
If  Superintendents  would  take  the  trouble  to  send 
crimps,  and  men  found  loitering  on  their  estates,  to 
be  dealt  with  by  the  Court,  and  succeed  in  getting 
them  one  inontli,  there  would  be  less  dissatisfaction, 
amongst  the  coolies,  less  bolting,  more  work  done 
and  less  debt. 
While  this  is  being  done.  Managers  or  employers 
of  Tamil  labour  should  send  their  advances  direct 
to  the  coast  as  far  as  possible  and  discourage  their 
Kanganies  from  taking  on  coolies  with  tundus. 
That  there  are  occasions  when  it  may  be  advisable 
to  give  monej’  to  pay  up  a debt  due  by  relatives 
of  one’s  coolies  working  on  another  estate,  is  adraittted ; 
but  as  a rule  it  is  the  readiness  of  the  Kanganis, 
backed  by  the  Superintendent  to  pay  uj)  the  debts 
as  shown  in  thexe  tundus  that  have  been  the  means 
of  adding  to  the  debts  and  the  curse  of  the  cooly. 
Freak  up,  by  discouraging,  this  system,  and  the 
cooly  rvill  settle  down  to  his  work  and  in  most 
cases  gradually  paj'  off  what  he  owes.— Yours 
faithfully,  ‘ JAMES  WESTLAND. 
COMPULSOKY  MONTHLY  PAYMENTS. 
Kandy. 
Sill, — The  Ohsen'er  of  17th  inst.  contains  a Report 
of  the  proceedings  of  the  Dikoya  Planters’  Associa- 
tion which  includes  the  result  of  a discussion  on  the 
Labour  Question,  which  must  be  of  great  interest  and 
importance  to  the  whole  Planting  community,  and  it 
is  very  much  to  be  regretted  that  the  arguments 
adduced  in  favour  of  the  resolutions  carried  are  not 
published. 
It  seems  to  me  tliat  there  is  an  obvious  intention  to 
carry,  if  possible,  the  set  of  resolutions  in  each  District 
Association  and  that  then,  backed  up  by  such  a 
weight  of  authority,  the  ‘ set  ’ of  resolutions  should 
be  brought  before  the  Parent  body  and,  as  full  re- 
ports of  (lisrussions  at  the  District  Associations  are 
very  rarely,  if  over,  reported  and  published,  thosQ 
of  the  planters  who  do  not  attend  District  meetings 
(very  many  of  course)  will  have  no  opportunity  of 
hearing  any  ai-mmients  for  or  against  the  proposals. 
No  harm,  therefore,  can  be  done  by  discussing  the 
matter. 
Two  resolutions  were  passed  by  the  Dikoya  Asso- 
ciation (A)  claiming  that  the  cooly  shall  not  be  al- 
lowed to  quit  service  until  his  advances  are 
paid  off,  and  that  advances  shall  be  a first 
claim  over  his  wages.  (Ji)  That  monthly  pay- 
ment of  wages  sliall  be  compulsory.  Now, 
really,  sir,  can  the  District  Association  lend  itself 
to  such  an  inference  as  the  first  resolution  involves. 
Can  anybody  assert  that  it  is  the  pi-actice  for  coolies 
to  quit  service  without  ^laying  off  their  Advances  ? 
I dont  me  n to  say  it  is  never  done.  Rut  out  of  our 
community  say  of  2,000  planters  do  you  believe  50 
can  come  forwanl  at  the  P.A.  meetings  or  admit 
that  their  coolies  have  quitted  service  without  in 
some  way  oi’  another  jiaying  their  debts  ? As  a 
“ ]ii  actice,”  is  not  the  inference  from  the  resolution 
wholly  and  entirely  wrong  ? 
As  regards  making  Advances  a first  claim  against 
wages,  or  up  to  a certain  limit,  I am  not  prepared 
to  raise  any  objection.  It  would  bo  a perfectly  fair 
claim  considering  the  advantages  already  held  by  the 
cooly  for  the  recovery  of  his  wages  against  the  estate 
and  other  privileges  he  enjoys  if  payment  of  wages 
is  long  delayed  and  I should  urge  that  advances 
whatever  tho  amount  iihould  bo  recoverable  by  means 
of  the  Court  of  Requests  as  is  the  case  with  actions 
taken  by  coolies  for  recovery  of  wages.  Rut  this  very 
fair  and  i-igbteous  claim  is  so  manifestly  just  in  itself 
that  it  miglit  well  be  urged  on  its  own  merits  and 
not  tacked  on  to  a set  of  resolutions.  Our  IManting 
Itepresontativo  in  tbo  Legislative  ('ouncil  might  well 
direct  his  and  our  attention  to  it  when  tlie  amended 
Court  of  Requests  Ordinance  comes  up  shortly  in 
Council, 
