The employment contract
British subject Indians are recruited for the French West Indies, with a 5-year contract comprising 26 articles, stipulating in particular:
The immigrant must be well housed, well fed, well treated, well paid….. The agreement of the employee will be necessary for any change of “master”
The immigrant cannot be required to work more than 6 days out of 7, nor 9 hours and a half per day.
The colonial administration undertakes at its own expense to repatriate the employee after the legal duration of his contract
If he agrees to contract a new commitment, he will be entitled to a bonus, and will retain the right to repatriation at the expiry of this second commitment.
Immigrants who become permanently unable to work, for whatever reason, will be repatriated free of charge, regardless of the length of service performed.
The immigrant's right to repatriation extends to his wife and children even born in the colony.