, 1885-10-28
? R @ G 3 + D N GS
GOAOM0A4 g0OMg0a
FOR ST. CROIX.

Continuation Of Meeting Of 9TH Oct. 1885.
The Governor introduced the Draft and
stated that he need not mention the rea.
sons for introducing the Draft, which were
known to all parties. He would state that
in preparing the Draft, Government had
received great assistance from the Commits
sion which had been appointed to consider
the matter and which had given in its
report in September last year, together
with a Draft of Ordinance. 1t is on that
Draft that the one now introduced is based
in all essential points, With regard to
the various details he would refer honour
able members to The Commissions report
laid on the Councils table, and for a state
ment OF Governments position in refer
cnce to the said report, he would refer TO
the Remarks appended to Governments
W Draft.
If the present Draft be compared with
the Ordinance Of 1879, it will be seen
that the ruling principle is the same, bat
the details are more definite in the present
Draft. There is entire freedom rs to
making agreements for labour, which may
be made for any time, from one day up to
Il year or more, and afterwards can be re-
neWed liable to termination at a months
notice as now. Contracts may be made 10y
word OF mouth or in writing rs now but
If for over one month must be entered in
the day book of the estate, and notice OF
the contract must be forwarded to the
POliCG-maSter within Is hours. That is
necessary in order to enforce fuIfiIment.
1t is well known that contracts are some
times broken, and in order to control that,
care has been taken to state in great de.
tail, what circumstances will Justify the
setting aside of the contract by either
party, and in all other cases the breach Of
contract is to be punished. II advances Of
money have been made, the breach is
punished more severely.
The labOurer often would like to live i'll
a house belonging to the estate without
asking permission to Ito so and without
entering into any obligation to work for
the property, it has therefore been pro
posed to provide that under such Circum-
stances he is to be considered to be so far
bound that he must give one months
notice to leave, unless there has been some
other agreement.
An employer in engaging a la0Ourer as
porter ought to convince himself, that the
labourer is not already employed else
where, and for this purpose it is provided
that the employer may demand that the
labOurer produces a certificate or passport
from the POlice.maSter, proving hat the
applicant is not bound by contract any
where else.
1t was the wish of the Commission that
all sO.called pOrterS should be provided
with passports. The Government has not
found this necessary, therefore it 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 PolicemaSter free
of charge. 1t will rest with the employers
how far they will demand such passes.
While the labourer 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
that effect. Some duties are laid ON the
employer, particularly in regard to medi-
cal help &c., in Il more distinct Way than
i'll the existing Ordinance. We all know
that the present state of things is very UNI
satisfactory. 1t is not by immigration
alone that the population should or can be
kept up, but 10y providing for the popula-
ton we have already, such necessary
things as they cannot provide for them
selves, and one of the principal OF these is
medical aid. 1t will be seen that this aid is
to be afforded all contract labourers whOhave
entered info contracts of u month or over.