preventing extortion; this system has necessitated the adoption by the Chiefs of more economical measures, and has induced them to be more careful in incurring extra expenses, even if it adds to the magnificence so dear to their hearts.

Labour.

9. The industrial life of the Territory has not yet assumed that complex character capable of developing such problems as would render the application of conventions or recommendations of International Labour Conferences either useful or expedient. The principles underlying such conventions or recommendations are, however, considered so far as they are compatible with local conditions, and are incorporated in Ordinance No. 11 of 1921, known as The Regulation of Employment Ordinance, 1921," of the Gold Coast Colony. The interests of labour are fully protected by this Ordinance, which provides for the attestation of contracts of service by District Commissioners, after they have convinced themselves that the terms and nature of the contract are perfectly understood and that it is entered into voluntarily and with full understanding of its meaning and effect. The Ordinance insists on the stipulation in each contract of the nature of the service, the place or limits within which such service is to be performed, and the remuneration to be paid.

10. Labour contracts are classified as "home" and “foreign.” The former refers to a contract of service to be wholly performed within the limits of the Administration, the term administration including the Gold Coast Colony and its dependencies, the latter to a contract of service to be performed wholly or partly outside its limits. A home contract may be either written or oral and is valid for periods not exceeding three years and six months respectively. Where no agreement is expressed respecting its duration, and the contract is not one for the performance of some specific work having reference to time, it is regarded as a contract at will and is determinable by either party at the close of any day without notice.

11. The measures for protecting the interest of labour in respect of service outside the limits of the Administration are more elaborate and, in addition to the attestation of contracts by District Commissioners already referred to, they include the application for a permit to the Secretary for Native Affairs from the employer desiring labour, who must present a letter of recommendation from the Government of the Territory in which the labourers are to be employed. Such application must state the number of labourers required, the place where the labour is to be performed, the nature of the work, the wages offered and the duration of the contract. These conditions by no means exhaust the protective measures in force, for even when the Secretary for Native Affairs has thought fit to issue a permit,

which is valid for three months only, recruiting may commence, but this must be through a specially licensed agent. Before the granting of a permit, however, security by deposit or otherwise is demanded from the applicant to meet such contingencies as claims for wages or for any expense that may be incurred by the Administration in respect of return passages, and when the labourers are ready to embark the embarkation is carried out under the supervision and control of the Police.

12. The duration of a foreign contract cannot exceed thirteen months, and the employer must provide a return passage, with proper accommodation and maintenance during the voyage, within fourteen days after the expiration of the contract.

13. The employment of women on night work is prohibited, excepting where exceptional circumstances demand it, in which event it is not to exceed ten hours in sixty days of the year, or, when it is temporary and not of a recurring nature, that the causes are inevitable and are not foreseen.

14. There is no forced labour in the Mandated Territory, and as the provisions of Ordinance No. 11 of 1921 insist on the stipulation of the remuneration to be received, the employment of this form of labour would constitute an infringement, punishable under the terms of the Ordinance. Another circumstance, and one which would more effectively counteract any tendencies to have recourse to this form of labour, is the mercenary attitude of the inhabitants towards any form of outside employment. Forced labour would meet with very active opposition.

15. Native labour employed under the Administration may be classified under the following categories :—

Labour employed-

(a) by the Public Works Department,

(b) by the Sanitary Department,

(c) by the Department of Agriculture,

(d) for the maintenance and upkeep of political roads,

(e) for the transport of officers when travelling,

(f) for the upkeep of rest-houses.

Medical treatment and medicines are given free of charge to all labour employed by the Administration.

(a) The Administration, through its Public Works Department, is the largest single employer of labour; the pay for skilled labour averages from 3s. to 4s. 6d. per diem, and unskilled labour from 1s. to 1s. 3d. per diem. The working day is from 6 to 8 a.m. and from 8.30 a..m to 12 noon, and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. No work is allowed on Sundays and all public holidays are observed. This also refers to labour employed on trade roads under the Department.

As stated elsewhere in the Report, the natives are purely agriculturists, and concentrate their activities in this direction. This was particularly noticeable during 1921, when Government

commenced the construction of a number of public buildings in the Southern Section. Skilled labour for the requirements was practically negligible, and that obtainable was of a very inferior quality; the labour required for this purpose had, therefore, to be imported from the Gold Coast Colony. The position is, however, steadily improving, as the Public Works Department during the past five years has trained a number of carpenters and masons from the local inhabitants to a fair standard of efficiency. Labour employed by the Department is of a purely voluntary nature, both skilled and unskilled.

The labourer receives his remuneration monthly, and it is made to the individual by a European officer of the Department.

(b) The labour employed by the Sanitary Department is remunerated at the rate of 1s. 3d. to 1s. 6d. per diem, the working day being the same as that of the Public Works Department.

This labour is also of a purely voluntary nature, and each individual receives his pay monthly from the Medical Officer.

(c) Unskilled labour employed by the Agricultural Department, which is again of a purely voluntary nature, is remunerated at the rate similar to that paid by the Public Works Department, and payments are made monthly by the Superintendent of Agriculture, who is also a European officer.

NATIVE COMPULSORY LABOUR.

16. This form of labour is required under (d), (e) and (ƒ).

(d) With regard to the labour for the maintenance of political roads, it is called for only by the District Commissioners, who derive their power from the Roads Ordinance, Chapter 107, of the Gold Coast Laws, which Ordinance forms Appendix “B” to the Report.

Under this Ordinance each adult male is required to perform 24 days' work per annum on the roads. This form of labour is called out through the Chief, and remuneration is made through

him.

Although this Ordinance is applicable to the Territory, it is not strictly enforced and the amount of work required to be performed is left to the discretion of the District Commissioners, who are responsible for the state of the roads. It is the practice of the District Commissioners to interview the Chief and people of each Division, through which the motor-road passes, and to inform them of the amount and nature of the work required at the various periods of the year. Strict observance is made that no native is required to work during the sowing and the reaping seasons, thus the agricultural development of the country is in no way interfered with.

The people are not required to work outside the village boundaries, and are in the majority of cases within only a few minutes' walk of their portion of the road required to be kept in

order. The Chiefs are responsible for the arrangement of the labour. A gong-gong is beaten by the Chief of the village, and he with his elders and people discuss and arrange for the number of adults to turn out on given days. The District Commissioners, who have a thorough knowledge of the native language, supervise the work, when travelling through the Divisions, and are therefore in a position to check any irregularities. All aged, infirm and sick persons are exempted from participating in this form of labour, these exemptions are strictly enforced, and any complaint is readily heard. The people have no objection to this form of labour, and they are fully alive to the fact that it is entirely in their own interest and welfare that the motor-ways are constructed and maintained. This is clearly observed and pointed out on page 9 of the Report.

At the end of each quarter the District Commissioners (vide the Roads Ordinance already referred to) inspect the roads, and the payments mentioned therein are made by them personally to the Chiefs concerned in the presence of their linguists and elders (who represent their people) and in many instances of the people themselves. This form of remuneration is according to the native custom, and is a system that has proved highly satisfactory; no complaints or objections have been forthcoming. It would be

out of the question for the District Commissioner to control the payments to each individual worker. Time-keepers would have to be employed at unnecessary expense, and it is questionable whether they would be able to keep a correct check, and, further, it is more than probable that Chiefs would strongly object to this form of supervision. The people assemble and disperse at their own convenience, and the average amount of work performed by each adult seldom exceeds three hours per diem.

(e) Provision of carriers for Government officers travelling. Whenever possible, the requisitioning of carriers for Government officers travelling is avoided; and is only necessary when officers travel on the motor-ways. Officers of the various Departments occasionally have so to travel in cases of emergency.

There has been no difficulty in obtaining this labour, the people always being ready to help.

The system of obtaining carriers is effected through the District Commissioners, who apply to the Chiefs, and they in turn call upon their sub-chiefs in village rotation to supply the number of carriers required, and notify them of the date, time and place they are to assemble.

The officer employing the carriers, not only in his own interests, but also in that of the carriers, examines them before the journey is commenced, and any sick or unsuitable person is returned and replaced, and when any reasonable excuse is given a similar attitude is adopted.

This form of labour is remunerated at the rate of 1s. 3d. per diem in the Southern Section and 6d. per diem in the Northern Section. The difference in the rates is explained by the lower

cost of living in the northern area. The payment is made personally by the officer, daily or on the completion of the journey. Should the officer be leaving his District and not returning, the carriers are paid full rate for the return journey empty-handed.

(f) Maintenance of rest-houses. The majority of the resthouses in the Territory were built by the former Administration. The Chief in whose proximity a rest-house is situated is responsible for its upkeep as far as the grass roof is concerned only; this is repaired every two or three years, and he receives remuneration according to the value of the work performed. Other repairs are effected by the District Commissioners by contract.

17. Labour in lieu of taxation, which was in vogue during the German Administration, has been abolished, as are the taxes which formed a part of that system.

18. The only recruiting undertaken by the Administration during the year was six labourers from the Northern Section for service in the Government Sisal Plantation at Accra, which is controlled and managed by the Gold Coast Government itself.

LABOUR EMPLOYED FOR PRIVATE ENTERPRISES.

19. No recruiting for private enterprises took place in the Territory during 1924 or the year under review. Under Ordinance No. 11 of 1921, referred to above, the Administration does not participate in the recruiting of labour for these enterprises. Licensed recruiting agents would be the only persons authorised to recruit in the Territory; particular care would be taken that such licences would be granted to reputable persons only. The Administration only assists in so far as explaining to the Chiefs the conditions of the work, and this only if asked to do so. Administration is, however, responsible that no unauthorised recruiting takes place.

The

20. During 1924 Professor Sir W. J. Simpson arrived at the Gold Coast to investigate the cause of the high death-rate of mines labourers, and his Report* has already been published. As a result, Ordinance No. 19 of 1925, cited as "The Mining Health Areas Ordinance, 1925," has been passed and will become law on 1st January, 1926, and forms Appendix "C" to this Report. It provides, inter alia, for the medical examination, proper housing and feeding, planning and outlay of towns and villages, hospital treatment, registration of cases of sickness and death, inspection of premises, adequate supply of wholesome drinking water, and protection against infectious disease, etc.. for the labourers employed by the mines in the Gold Coast. Labourers are not recruited for the mines from any part of the Mandated Area.

* Published by the Crown Agents for the Colonies, 1925.