this purpose and collect them afterwards in the manner set forth in Article 8. 6. The appointment of the Commissioner ad hoc (referred to in Article 70 of the above-mentioned Decree) shall devolve on the proper State official-military or civil-who happens to be travelling on board a vessel bringing back repatriated labourers. The Governor of San Thomé shall therefore obtain, before the period of repatriation has elapsed, the necessary information by telegraph. § 1. In cases where the official on his way to Mozambique should remain at Lourenço Marques and the repatriated labourers should proceed as far as Quelimane or Mozambique, the Curator-General of the province shall appoint an official to convey the "bonus" and see the labourers to their port of destination. § 2. Should there be no official at all available, in the circumstances referred to in the first part of this Article, the appointment shall devolve on a San Thomé official. § 3. The allowance which these commissioners shall receive for duty performed on steamers is 18000 reis per diem for transit officials from the time they leave San Thomé until they hand over the labourers; 18500 reis per diem for officials from San Thomé or Lourenço Marques from the day they leave until their return. Such expenses are to be defrayed out of the repatriation fund. 7. Transport of labourers can only be carried out in Portuguese bottoms, except in ports where there is no regular Portuguese service. 8. If labourers or masters refuse to fulfil any clause of their contracts, the Government can declare them void and cause the labourers to be repatriated, and advance the necessary sums therefor. § 1. Contracts thus annulled shall be transmitted to the Curator-General, with all documents having reference thereto and with the vouchers for expenditure incurred. The necessary inquiries having been held and the opinion of the local board having been heard, the Curator-General shall give his decision as to the person responsible for the action of the Government in declaring a contract null, and shall examine the correctness of the accounts presented. Appeals against such decisions may be lodged with the Governor in Council within the period mentioned in Article 121 of the Regulations of the 17th July, 1909. §2. The above-mentioned decision shall be limited to compelling the responsible parties to refund expenses incurred in repatriation of labourers. § 3. Responsible persons may be (a.) The emigration agent who signed the contract. In such cases the Government will recover the expenses incurred out of the security deposit, reserving their right to any balance if the deposit is insufficient; (b.) The master. In such cases, should he not make payment voluntarily, the provisions of Article 92 of the Decree of the 17th July, 1909, shall be observed; (c.) The labourer. In such cases he shall be employed on the public works of the province, where he shall remain until his debt is paid at the rate of an average wage, the Government to maintain him during such period; (d.) Both the emigration agent and the master conjointly. In such cases they shall each pay half the debt, the compulsory payment being enforced by the means above indicated. 9. All legislation contrary hereto is revoked. The Minister and Secretary of State for the Department of Marine and Colonies shall accordingly carry this Decree into effect. Given at the Palace this 9th of December, 1909. MANUEL DA TERRA PEREIRA VIANNA. |