, 1872-11-30
To THE EDITOR OF THE "AvIS."
Mr.. Editor

Inc REPORT OF the Labour Regulation
Commission, appointed by the late Gov
ernour Billie, was signed February 23rd
1872. 1t was accompanied by a new
Draft of Labour Regulations for the Sugar
Estates of st. Croix.
On referring to your back numbers, I
find, under the heading, The Situation,
certain letters containing comments at large
on the present Labour Act; and it is
worthy of remark, that that writer should
have advocated, SO precisely, certain prin
cipIes which, according to positive and
most reliable data, were eniolued upon
the late GOVERNOR Billie to promulgate in
this island, while adjusting matters con-
nected with the revision of the Labour
Regulations.
Your correspondent, "Caustic," the
writer OF The Situation, makes no allu-
sion, whatever, to this Report in his writ
ings; he does not seem to have known any
thing OF It's nature, or even of its compile
ton; or, it is possible, he might have
f%avOured the public with his views on the
subject when writing. Anticipating his
intention to do so at a future period, per-
NIT me, Mr.. Editor, to make a few remarks
on this important subj ct. | shall not,
like "Caustic'', enter upon the task of o
detailed omment on the respective para
graphs OF the new Draft proposed but
will cOnfine my remarks to certain glaring
principles which itinculcatos, and which ap-
pear to be quite discordant with the views
and intentions of the Home Government,
when committing this matter to the discre-
tionary care ofthe Kings Commissioner, for
adj ustment. PREDATORY, however, to my re-
markson the Draft itself, I will presently re-
fer to the letter which accompanied the ap-
polntmeut OF the Commission by Govern
our Billie for in it is contained the lead
ing principles, by which it was desirable
the Commission should have been guided,
In making a Report. cit is not my inten-
tom, says Governour Bile, Z" to lay before
the Commission as a guidance any official
statement pointing out or discussing one or
another particular enactment of the Labor
Regulations. Sufficient light has been
thrown on the proposed task, and the
main points for discussion have been sufi-
GENTLY defined by the constant attention
the question has received especially during
the last years, when several representative
men have been called on to give their
opinion. AlIusion is here made to the
Report of the Commission, which, accom-
panied by a draft of Amendments to the
Ordinance of the 26th January 1649, was
sent in, on the 18th July 1865, to the late
Governor Birch. An extract from this
Report is quoted by Governour Billie, in
his letter Of appointment to the Labour
Regulation Commission and in this pas
sage the various objections which from
time to time have been raised against the
working of the system in practice, are
synoptically viewed and summed up in
two main points viz, 1st, the yearly con-
tracts, and End, legally stipulated wages
for a certain number Of working hours
these, with their concomitant consequences,
being considered as the leading points in a
proposed Reform.
To quote the precise passage of this Re-
port to which reference is here made, NAV.
perhaps, serve the purpose better !; it runs
thus: "The objections which have been
raised from several quarters, are therefore
not directed against the system of yearly
contracts, but against the principle Of bind
ing labourers and employers to a uniform
scale OF wages without distinction of the
good or the bad quality of the work done.