, 1885-10-07

aside of the contract, by either party, and
in all other cases the breach of contract IS
to be punished. If advances OfmODey have
been made the breach is punished more
severely.
The iabourer often would like to live i'll
a house belonging to the estate without
any obligation to work for the property, 1t
has therefore been proposed to provide
that he is to be considered to be so far bound
that he must give one months notice to
leave, unless there has been so ne other
agreement,
An employer in engaging a la0ourer
ought to convince himself That tue laoour,
er is not already employed elsewhere, and
for this purpose it is provided that th0
employer may demand q certllCate or
passport from the PolicemaSter proving
that the applicant is not elsewhere employ
ed. 1t was the wish of the Commission
that all so called pOrters should be pro
vidtd with passports. The Government
has not found this necessary, therefore 1t Is
not proposed to make it incumbent on the
porter TO provide himself with a pass, but
if he finds it useful to him in getting work
he may get it from the Police master tree
Of charge. 1t will rest with employers no"
far they will demand such passes.
While the lab0urer is bound to fulfil his
side of the contract, it is a matter OF course
that the employer is equally bound, and
hence provisions will also be found to mat
effect. Some duties laid on the employer
particularly in regard to medical help &c)
reach to Il greater extent than III the
existing ordinance. We all know that
the present STATE of things is very uhS ltIS'
factory. 1t is not by immigration alone
that the population must be Kept up, out
by providing for the population we nave
already such necessary things a5 lh0y
cl0nDt provide for themselves, an one 81
the principal Ofthese is medical ald. lG WllIO
seen that this aid is to be afforded all con,
tract hb0urerS, while under the existing
ordinance it is only afforded to those who
have entered into contracts OF Il month or
over.
4 naw clause, not found in the Com
missions draft, is that which provides that
there must be a suitable room on the eS-
tlte whore children under 6 years OF age
can be sent while their mothers are at
work, Ii The mothers are to work, which
is fIequpntIy necessary, then it is needtul
that some provision should be made for
the care OF the young children.
Tn latter part Of the Draft treats OF
Contracts with immigra ITS fr0m foreign
places outside the West Indies. Such
contracts may be made for ) years; but
with regard to labourers from other West
In Iiaa islands it is considered right to put
them ON the same footing as other labour-
erS already in the island.
His ExtellencY concluded by recon
menQiug The draft to the Council.
pla sInSequant discussion, in which
Mes3rS JAS Wilson, j. Hewitt, Raphael,
Willard and Mcdonald took part, seemed
to shew that the planters would prefer
things to remain as they are, and are in no
hurry to $50 the Draft passed. Finally two
propositions were before the Council, one
that the first reading Of the Draft should be
postponed tor II months, the other that
the Draft should be referred to Il Commit
tee Of 5. The latter proposition met with
most approval, aud later Chief Justice
Andelsel and MessrS. Wilson, Nellhropp,
Hewitt and Mcdonald were elected DIS
such COMMITTEES.