ABSTRACT
The advantages and disadvantages of the contract to all concerned require consideration, for there is at present a general lack of agreement in the attitude of governments. From a governmental point of view, the contract has many conspicuous advantages. It admits of the compilation of statistics of the greatest importance in supervising the welfare of a native community. The employer needs the contract, since he generally has to rely to a considerable extent on the recruiter, and without stipulated terms of service it is obviously impossible for the two to do business. He needs some protection against unscrupulous neighbours who may try to decoy away his employees, especially in case of seasonal shortage. The contract can also usefully be made to cover the case of wives or families who are accompanying their menfolk to work; conditions under which this is approved can be shown, all doubt as to maintenance or repatriation liabilities being thus cleared up.
