, 1885-06-06

~ NNN NOAOhJ AZ AO0A WA
pletion and will soon be in working order.
AT present we cannot state the amount Of
the purchase money; but the mere fact of
one of tue oldest houses connected with
the colony, adding such a valuable proper.
ty to its already very large sugar posses
sions ought to be an answer to the army
of wofulS who are never tired of croaking
out their dismal ~forebodings that Demerara
as a sugar colony, is doomed.
On Wednesday n light some unknown per.
sons set fire to a field of ripe canes on Pin
Enm0re, twelve acres of which were over
run 10y the fire before it could be extin-
guiShed. At one time it was feared that at
least 100 acres would be burnt; but thanks
10 the manly exertions Of the blacks and
coolies resident on the estate, the danger
was averted. There is some reason to be-
lieve the fire was set by some of the neigh
bouring villagers; AMI if so, the case will
be one of revolving ingratltude, for during
the current drought, Enm0re alone, of all
the estates i'll the district, has allowed the
villagers to draw fresh water from its
trenches.
Some of the coolies on Pin. Maryuiue,
Leguan, submitted to their manager that
the Portuguese shopkeeperS had raised the
price of rice and other food SO high that
they could not feed themselves, and they
wished him to give them food and accept
their lab0ur as payment. Mr.. MCLEAN said
he could not do that; all that he could do
was to give them rs much work as they
could do, and let them spend their wages
to the best advantage. If however they
wished to go to tow to see the Immigra.
ton Agent-G General, he would give them
leave. On Monday afternoon when the
downward steamer reached Leguan Stelling,
the coolies in large numbers rushed to go
on board, but the police prevented them,
and insisted on their observing the rule
that landing passengers are to have the
first use of the glngwav. The result was
fight in which the police got roughly han.
died, and, along with Mr.. Stewart, deputy
manager, and Mr.. Mortimer, Overseer of
Mary0tie, had to jump on board the ferry
steamer for safety. The city steamer in the
meantime Sliled away, and the ferry steam
er went to Enterprise stelling to land the
police; but the enraged coolies arriving there
while the police were still on board the
stelling, the latter had to jump into the
river to swim back to the steamer, and
narrowly escaped drowning. The ferry then
headed tor TuSchen stelling on the West
COaSt,-to summon Inspector Binns to the
rescue; on seeing which, the coolies march.
ed back to MaryUiUe aud were streaming
up the steps OF the managers house, when
they were brought to a sudden stop by Mr..
MCLEAN who, armed with a revolver land
supported by a lady relative at his sidew with
a ride) warned the men that they would
enter his house at their peril; whereupon
they returned to the public stelling to
await the arrival of the ferry steamer,
which came in due time, bringing Inspector
Binns and u detachment Of the Force. In q
few minute the arrest Of the most promi.
nent men of the crowd was effected, not
however without a severe tuSSle, in course
of which certain of the policemen, the
Leguan ones more noticeably, behaved like
men. The coolies in their anger attacked
the Portuguese Waterman on the stelling
and his wife, both of whom are in the
hospital suffering from the wounds infict.
ed, and smashed all the furniture in the
watch house. Soon after the arrests were
made, quiet was restored and when the
Inspector General arrived he found that
everything necessary had been done to
restore order. The prisoners have been
transferred to Suddie, where they will be
tried on Monday. The black labourers are
suspected of having melted the coolies to
miSbehave themselves. An Investigation
made by the immigration Department has
shewn that the coolies were being paid
the full lahnur ratac