No. 7. The Officer Administering the Government of Kenya to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. [TELEGRAM.] (Received 13th February, 1925.) 12TH FEBRUARY. Your telegram of 30th January.* It is not intended that pay for compelled labour should be below the market rates for farm labour, which may be generally taken as not exceeding 8s. to 10s., but that it should not from the start be placed on the higher level of pay which the railway is offering to attract and retain the best type of labour. It must further be remembered that all labour will have the benefit of special railway rations. By "whole value of the lesson" reference was intended to the general impression which would be created in the native mind if it were found that the Government pays to men who are called out the same rate as it offers to men who are accustomed to seek and obtain voluntary employment. The former will generally belong to a class without previous experience and not accustomed to regular work. It is desirable that the natives should feel that they are gaining more by offering their services for employment than by awaiting compulsion. It must be remembered that little economic pressure or inducement to earn money at present exists. It should be recognised that the position is that the cotton and port traffic will be paralysed unless labour forthcoming. Supply is available, but attraction of spending at present insufficient to induce the natives generally of their own accord to work while possessing for the time sufficient money, and in fact they like working in numbers, and I believe will be found to come out without any difficulty when called upon to do so, but some measure of compulsion is necessary, as the only alternative is letting matters drift until the natives consider that they require more money for their own objects. The mere suggestion of compulsion has already had excellent effect on Thika-Nyeri line, where labour is now coming out well. Total of native labour employed in 1924 was less than employed in 1923 though exceeding the numbers employed in previous years, while wages, rations and demand for labour generally increasing. I agree that the use of prison labour at Kisumu not the best solution but necessary as a temporary measure owing to great shortage which still prevails there. If labour not made available practical deadlock will occur. Wages offered by railway 18s. to 20s., also piece-work which enables the labourers to earn up to 1s. 6d. per day. Great difficulty is being experienced in recruiting Kavirondo locally at present owing to their prosperity and the demand for their labour from all parts of the country. Comparison with Mombasa conditions misleading, assured and constant employment being available there throughout for any number of hours workers choose, and gangs further are trained to that kind of work. At * No. 5. Kisumu work heavy for shorter time only and there is practically only one employer. I am detailing special Administrative Officer to report on labour possibilities and further steps to be taken to encourage voluntary labour Kavirondo area. I am arranging for labour inspection. Steps are being taken immediately to fill the new appointment in the estimates this year. The interim report of Economic and Finance Committee on Labour received and sent you by mail. Despatch follows. No. 8. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Officer Administering the Government of Kenya. [TELEGRAM.] (Sent 20th February, 1925.) [Answered by Nos. 9, 12, 14, 16, and 18.] 20TH FEBRUARY. In view of urgent importance of completing through railway connection to Uganda at earliest possible moment, am prepared to approve proposals regarding pay and recruitment of compelled labour on specified new railway construction contained in your telegrams of 23rd January* and 12th February† on the understanding that difference in pay between accustomed voluntary workers and inexperienced compelled workers does not exceed two shillings per month. But consider that if compelled workers on or after commencement are willing to volunteer for longer engagement as voluntary workers they should be immediately raised to same rate as regular voluntary labour of same grade. Please submit regular monthly reports regarding numbers, pay, medical conditions of both voluntary and compelled labour on all railway constructions now being undertaken. No. 9. The Officer Administering the Government of Kenya to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. [TELEGRAM.] (Received 13th March, 1925.) [Answered by No. 10.] 12TH MARCH. Your telegram of 20th February Compelled Labour. Action taken hitherto has been to call out 1,200 labourers from Kavirondo and 300 from Kerio Province for Uasin Gishu Line; recruiting has proceeded very satisfactorily. In this connection I would state that the Contractors recently informed me that given 1,500 labourers for two months and 750 for a further six weeks their demands would probably be satisfied. I find it necessary to call for 500 men for Thika-Nyeri Railway, and the Chief Native Commis sioner advises that call be made on the Akamba rather than Kikuyu, see your telegram of 14th January*. Former tribe shows only thirteen per cent. of the available labour to be working whereas the latter is providing the highest percentage of labour to-day. 200 men also required for relaying near Samburu. I recommend call should be made on the Akamba, who are accustomed to similar climatic conditions. If the proposal is approved it would have excellent effect on the Akamba Tribe, and the Senior Commissioner reports that there will be no difficulty in securing the number of men required. The total which will thus be called on will be considerably less than the number permitted by you in respect of both railways, and it is hoped that will meet all requirements. No. 10. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Officer Administering the Government of Kenya. [TELEGRAM.] (Sent 7th April, 1925.) Akamba proposal 7TH APRIL. Your telegram 12th March. † approved up to maximum of 700 and for purposes specified. No. 11. The Officer Administering the Government of Kenya to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. (Received 7th April, 1925.) Government House, Nairobi, Kenya, 14th March, 1925. SIR, In accordance with the instructions contained in your cablegram of the 30th January last, I have the honour to transmit a copy of report by Mr. R. W. Hemsted, Senior Commissioner, Nyanza Province, on the subject of labour at Kisumu Docks, together with the covering observations of the General Manager, Uganda Railway. It will be noted that the recommendations in Mr. Hemsted's report are being acceded to, and it is to be anticipated that an improvement in the position may result in consequence. 2. I would take this opportunity of stating that the appointment to the Railway from the Provincial Administration of an Officer to arrange for the recruitment, supervision and care of Railway labourers is at present under consideration. Separate recommendations will be addressed to you in this connection at an early date. 3. I will address you further in the near future on the situation both as regards voluntary and compelled labour, a subject which is at present receiving my fullest consideration. 4. I may state that the Administrative Officer who has been detailed to supervise the general arrangements for the engagement, transport and conditions of service for Railway Construction reports that up to the 9th of March 442 compulsory and 108 voluntary labourers have been despatched to the Uasin Gishu Railway. A further 120 were awaiting medical examination. He expresses the opinion that compulsion has caused large numbers of natives to seek private employment. I have, etc., E. B. DENHAM, Acting Governor. ENCLOSURE 1 IN NO. 11. LABOUR AT KISUMU PIER AND DOCKS. 1. Labour is needed at the Kisumu pier for loading and off-loading steamers, lighters and wagons, and for stacking imports and exports. 2. Owing to the recent large increase in trade, more labour than formerly is required. This has not been forthcoming in sufficient. quantity, and there is considerable congestion on the pier in consequence. A large quantity of cargo is stacked in the open with no protection from the weather. 3. The Marine Superintendent informs me that there are at present 287 dock labourers on his books, and that 600 are needed to clear the present congestion and to deal adequately with the existing and future estimated traffic. 4. The difficulty is being met to some extent by the employment of convict labour, and an average of about 230 prisoners are now employed at the Docks. 122 prisoners were transferred to the Kisumu Gaol about a month ago to assist in the work. I understand from the Marine Superintendent that such labour is by no means equal in efficiency to the voluntary local labour, and he would much prefer to have a full complement of the latter and dispense with the former. The combined voluntary and convict labour is not at present sufficient for requirements. The convicts are not generally of good enough physique for the work required, and there is some sickness among them. Natives from the Highlands, such as Kikuyu, Nandi, Kisii, etc., of whom there are a number with the prisoners drafted from Nairobi, do not thrive under the climatic conditions of Kisumu and should not be employed. Four have been returned to Nairobi as physically unfit for the work. I would, therefore, advocate the withdrawal of the convict labour from work at the Docks as soon as it is possible to obtain the requisite number of volunteers. 5. As regards the voluntary labour, I would mention in the first place that conditions at Kisumu are in no way analogous to those obtaining at Mombasa. At the latter port a working class has come into existence, and, I understand, sufficient casual labour for the loading and off-loading of ships is procurable at a few hours' notice. At Kisumu no such labour is available, and other arrangements are necessary. 6. The labour at the Kisumu Docks is not, in my opinion, very well organised. Of the 287 stevedores on the books on the 6th and 7th February, 217 worked on the former day and 214 on the latter, and it appears that something like 20 per cent. of the available labour is habitually absent. This is explained by the fact that the men are so often required to work overtime that they need a day's rest. 7. On examination of some of the foremen labourers, the question of overtime was found to be a burning one. It was stated that overtime was frequently compulsory, and, although payment was made for it in excess of the ordinary rates, it was not generally popular. The Marine Superintendent and the Pier Master emphasised the necessity for it by reason of the shortage of labour and the impossibility of working in regular shifts. On discussing the matter, however, it did not appear that overtime compensated for the loss entailed by so many daily absentees, and the native Foreman stated that if compulsory overtime was abolished there would be few, if any, absentees. In order to remove the grievance felt by the natives in regard to compulsory overtime, the Marine Superintendent is arranging to start from the 9th February a system of work by shifts, as under :— One shift to work from 7 a.m. till 4 p.m. and another from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m., both shifts having an hour off in the middle of the day, and consequently working 8 hours a day. The natives stated this would be acceptable to them, and that they would be quite satisfied if compulsory overtime was put an end to and they could do it if and when they pleased. 8. In addition to the question of overtime, other grievances put forward by the native foremen were :— (a) The hard work entailed by the handling of heavy cases, bales, etc. (b) Inadequate pay for overtime. (c) That the rate of pay of the older hands had not been increased proportionately with the general rise in wages. (d) The difficulty of procuring an adequate supply of wood fuel for domestic purposes. (e) The inadequacy of the water supply at the Stevedores' lines. With regard to (a), it was not possible to find any solution other than the abolition of compulsory overtime. With regard to (b) and (c), the Marine Superintendent is considering the matter, and will advocate such increase in wages and rates of pay as appear to be fair and reasonable. As regards (d) and (e), the Marine Superintendent is taking immediate steps for a fuel ration to be issued, and for the provision of a more adequate water supply. |