, 1872-02-28
sion under any liberal and free government

sion under any liberal and tres government
in the world
1t is the application of labour to other
capital which enables the capitalist to
change his capital from one form of value
to another, and thereby enhance its pro-
ductlveness and this increase of value is
an increase of capital equal to the differ
ence between it's former and it's present
value. It is therefore evident, that Iabour
must bear a proportionate value to the in
crease OF cnpital in every community for
as capital is changed froq one increased
form of value to another, so the demand for
labour is enhanced and the commodity
then, like every other, fuctuates in value
in a rising scale.
But in fixing the wages of the labourer,
this principle has been totally ignored in
the "Labour Act" for it arbitrarily COM
pels him to receive 50 much for his Iabour,
and the planter to pay no mare. 1t is, how
ever, not difficult to perceive, from the RUIZ
Of things among the planters, that they
would be willing to make the best bargain
they could, for the greatest amount of eff
fective labour; provided the "Labour Act''
would allow them the privilege to do 81,
and still compel the Iabourers to undertake
compulsory employment for a fixed period
of IL months.
But such a one-sided arrangement would
be unj ust. The planter should have per-
feet liberty to adj lust his affairs as he pleas
es as regards the amount of labour which
he would require for the cultivation of his
estate, as we'll as the price he would pay
for it. And the Iabourer, with equal right,
to agree with his employer for wages best
suited to his highest interest, as we'll as
to quit the service OF any employer when
ever he pleases, after giving legal notice.
Without any wish, however, to be con-
sIdered dictatorial in sentiments In any
measure, it is opined that, this idea might
be carried out, and an arrangement made
after some such plan as the following so
as to serve the interest of the planter, as
we'll as alleviate the mind Of the iabourer
from that impression of thraldom which
the "Labour Act" produces, 10 conse-
quenee Of the ~compulsion to remain d year
on an estate-an age almost, to most of the
labourers, in prospective:
Every labourer upon taking service,
shall have it optional TO him to give notice
of removal after being in service one full
calendar month, but not sooner. Such no.
tice, however, shall be for o term not lees
than 3 calendar months so that from the
day Of entering service to the day Of re-
moYal, he will have been 4 full calender
months on the estate. Ofcourse, the same
notice would be also required on the part
of the planter, but both, by mutual con-
sent, might dissolve this agreement IN "a
hours, but always under the notice of the
magistrate.
The native labourers are not fond Of
roaming about they evince a strong at
tachment to their place of birth and they
have many fond "reminiscences of home
which always act most forcibly on them
in this respect. This characteristic will
unquestionally evince itself more fully,
when they shall have been allowed to feel
themselves quite free. It may be said,
with some safety that, were such an ar
rangement made for taking service as that
suggested above, in nine cases out of ten,
the notice given to remove would react in
favour of the planter, by the labourer
changing his intention before the lapse of
3 months.
The poorer estate-holders will, no doubt,
Tepudiate the notion of planters being al