, 1882-07-19

Inc mellOIldl was lu(1OouICu ny 4Sp
Member for ChriStianSted (Willard).
The Memorial was read as follows
To the Honorble colonial Council of
st. Croix.
Gentlemen,
In a communication from the Royal
West India Governt dated 10Th November
1881 to a Committee Of planters, reference
is made to the Minister of Finances des-
patch of 9th October, restricting Govern
mental interferenceS iii matters OF lmml-
grafton. We highly regret the decision
thus taken with the fact before our eyes
that the ldbOuring population has decreaS-
ed four thousand during the ten years
from 1870 to 1SS0-we do not see how it
will be practicable to continue the present
cultivation whereas an increase of hands
every now and then, would enable us 10
extend the same to the benefit OF the en-
tire public and the Treasury.
One of the principal motives OF the de
cision of the Minister Of Finances seems to
be the Supposition that our present labour
ers would feel aggrieved by being brought
in competition with Foreign labourerS, Ill
this market-we think the Honorable
Council can with safety point out and as
sure the Minister Of Finances, that this
would not be the case. but just the reverse.
We will try to explain what, TO individuals
not accustomed to Colonial notions, may
appear strange.
From the times of slavery it was the
habit, when a fair-skin'd slave was born
and reared, to bring III the same as house
servant or tradeSman. Among the owners
themselves the saving was current ''t00
fair to work in the field" the result OF
this peculiar notion has been that ourileld-
hands, up to this day, are almost eXclu-
sivelv blacks, that tieldwOrk IS considered
a disgrace, an imposition ontlle black race,
aud that parents consequently do all they
can to withhold their children from
this occupation. Any change in this
respect would, to our present labourer
be more agreeable than otherwise ana
would be apt to diveSt him of the idea,
that he is being imposed on, by being Kept
to field work. We do not believe that III
the other Westindia Islands the above cir
cumStance is so peculiarly marked. In
Barbados there is a district almost eXclu-
sively worked by poor whites, which may
be one of the reasons Of that iSlandS sue
cess in increasing its population; rs 1t may
lust be that our silly idea has debarrcd u
similar effect in this island. Poor whites
bere would rather starye than work IN
the field such occupation being consider
ed beneath them this notion should be
removed and can IN no way better than by
the introduction from time to time OF Ia
hourerS of a fair complexion, from abroad.
The removal Of said erroneous notion Is
also likely to bring about among our pre-
sent people a better caring of children by
their parents, because of more Self-reSprct.
A labour competition question here can
not be compared, nor the same arguments
used, the same deductions arrived at, as
with a similar question in Denmark or any
other winter-cOuntry: room there is here
for occupation all the year round, as our
former population proved.
With regard to the Governments re-
mark in the aforementioned letter, that
the Chinese labOurerS nave no regard
for the obligations Of the linden
ture aud will desert their estates on the
slightest provocation, we would mention
the fact, that OH Estate Anguilla are lOca-
ted seven and on estate CONSTITUTIONAL
six Chinese feldhands, residing on the
named estates steadily for several years,
they are good workers and not at all no
madic in their habits. Our house arrange
mentS and locality on estates, provision
grounds worked and uniform rate Of wages
on estates offer no inducements TO foreign
ers to remove from where they ave once
settled down, and we do not anticipate the
difficulties experienced in this respect
with Chinese labOurerS in other Islands,
providing We succeed in obtaining the
right sort Of hands.
We are really in a sad dilemma!
By the above letter of the Minister of
Finances we ara told If wo un1orctaud