CHINESE IN FRANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1917, Page 6

CHINESE IN FRANCE.

THOUSANDS OP WORKERS. FIVE YEARS' CONTRACT, ! London, Jan. 16. The French are making a comprehensive experiment in' the use of Chinese ■labor for munition work. Last year the British Government had elaborated a scheme for employing on munition work ! in England negroes brought from the I African colonies, but at the lust mo- | ment it was found that the Trades Un- • ions were irreconcilably opposed to the ' ..employment of this class of labor in England, and the scheme had to be abandoned. France was already at that time employing a considerable number of artisans from her Asiatic colonies—Cambodia, Annam, and Indo-China, but the Republic seems to find that it can do better with the more intelligent anil skilful Chinese, and it proceeded to enter into an agreement with the Chinese Government with that object. At the first experiment about 0000 skilled and unskilled laborers were engaged in China, all on a five-years' eontract, terminable at the end of the third year on the option of the French Commission for Recruiting . Manual Labor. The Chinese Government, being neutral, could not er.actly undertake to suppij the labor, but for the protection of the laborers it insisted on an undertaking from the French Government that the Hiinese would be/fcmnloyed only in public or private industrial or agricultural work in France, Algeria or Morocco. If, however, the laborer desired to remain in France or the French colonies after his contract had expired, then the stay does not deprive him of the right to free shipment at a later date. There are two classes of laborersskilled and -unskilled. The former receive iy 2 francs and the latter 11 francs a day, while the hours ,in cacli ease number ten per day. On top of this the unskilled laborer is given 35 francs a month ! for his family, and the skilled man 40 i francs. The allowances are paid in Pe- ! kin to the families concerned, but the | daily wages go direct to the mm themselves. Food, lodging, and clothing are provided free, and the French Govern- | ment finds all cooking and eating nten- | sils,. and fuel. It is stated that the raj (ion supplied is more than sufficient: ; meat. riee. ftnd bread are the staple foods for five days a week, with fl«h on the i other two. . The French bread is much j appreciated, and knives and forks have j taken the place of chopsticks. i All the Chinese were given a holt- ' day on the national fete day of China, j and they spent the occasion on a trip to Paris. The better educated Chinese in France are asking the French! Government to give the laborers tcehnWl education. The men are learning the French language. Apart from: those already in ■ France, it is probable that 20,000 m«re are coming. ;