| p98 (Calcutta government proceedings, 13 Jun 1757): "There is another very considerable circumstance which is very detrimental to the service, and that is the paying the coolies (or rather the method of paying the coolies) in cowries: this occasions great disputes, and I have often been drove off the works by the clamours of the people not having received cowries for four or five days. Upon enquiring into the affair I was told the cowries are not counted out, or that the head-men are paid and have not yet distributed the cowries shares to the coolies, by which means 30 or 40 coolies walk off and their pay becomes the profit of the head-men jointly with the Bunnyas. Then, by the coolies receiving their pay in cowries, the Bunnyas and head-men have the conveniency of stopping a small number out of each man's share, which they call custom, and the coolies have complained to me that 15 or 20 cowries per day have been deducted in this manner; but these and a great many other bad methods might be broke which at present is called custom, the Company would then be better served and the coolies satisfied, they would then continue in the works, learn any method that would be desired, and we should not have fresh coolies to teach every day." |
