 Nevertheless , the Beti at large detested French forced labour practices and taxes . Some people fled to the bush before the tax collector arrived ; others circumvented taxes by counting wives as out @-@ of @-@ town visitors or waiting until the last minute to pay and thus reducing the collector 's cut of the tax money . If the taxes were not collected to the satisfaction of the colonial administrators , Atangana himself was expected to make up some of the difference . To counter these minor rebellions , chiefs could punish their subjects with 15 days in jail or 100 franc fines without due process of law . This was meant to be reserved for only certain infractions , but Atangana and other chiefs interpreted it broadly to include all sorts of difficult behaviour . Atangana and his sub @-@ chiefs were expected to discipline such difficult subjects . He exerted continual pressure on the sub @-@ chiefs , who in turn placed constant pressure on the villagers to pay taxes and supply labourers . 
