, 1889-03-09
Antigua.
(ETOm the UbSefVer.l

hnOuI lauOuTe1f( l6% '1g these ISLANDS,
Oeeward Islands COnfederation) in search
of work. Still for all this there are SOM
who are always crying aloud for immi.
grants-this they did 80 odd years ago and
they got them from Madeira. What good
did they get by this7 The shifting scenes
of a stage represent in a great part the
answer that we would make, the servant
has become the master instead Of cOntinu-
ing to help to swell his masters gains.
The Chinese were tried, $40, 000-wasted
on importing about 300 Hong Kong worth
less rips. OF what use have they been to
usf Our criminal records would best an
swer this, for most of their time has been
spent in GaOl. And whom have you had to
depend on all the while? Who really did
the work ? Here we answer straight, the
creole or native %labourers, and they can be
obtained to DO all the work you can posi-.
bly, find to give them, if you treat them
fairly, honestly, and with due regard to
their rights as free men.
But if you spend most of your time in
the Police Courts for the most trihing occur.
Tences, it might happen that you would
find as much difficulty in obtaining good
working people as IA certain Manager did,
and which caused the absentee Proprietor
to sell out cheap under the fear that he
+NOAAA w "ONO w OIL VII II SUlGIFN-
tiOn, no labOurers being Obtainable in the
island. His neighbour, however, could get,
always, more labOurers than he required,
although he employed a large number and
made heavy crops. 1t is quite evident 10
those who are acquainted with the matter,
that there are sufficient hands in the island
TO manipulate n crop of 10000 to 35, 600
hhds much less $4,000 to Is, 900 hhds.
"The advantage the planters wanted to
gain when they successfully suggested to
the Government the non. commencement OF
the Works water Works in st. Kitts)
during the crop was this: that they
should be able to get their crop taken
off at an exceptionally low cost. Having
gained their point, they are reaping the
advantage accruing from it pretty greediIy.
They pay their labOurers Id. a day, and
stop their wages and dismiss them for the
most tridiDg or imaginary fault. This they
do without suffering the least Inconvenience,
the demand for employment being very
much greater than the possible supply of
it. A fair specimen of injustice and Oppres.
sion has but recently transpired. 1t may
not be out of place to mention it. On Sat-
urday, the 2nd instant, there were loud,
pitiable cries and violent gesticulatiOns
among the labOurerS on Pinney's Estate.
1t was payday /; and, of the labourers EN-.
plOyed in the cane fields, the Deputy Man
sger had paid each man 81. and each wo-
man H. as wages for the week. How
such low wages can support large families
aud give food, clothing, and shelter
to the poor labourer has always been
puEzling to one who knows a little of
h0me-li if No wonder that one so often
meets large "Small Gangs comprised of
little boys and girls who ought to be at
School learning their "A B o.. Their pa.
rents are obliged to send them out. to
work to earn something to help in the
support Of the, family. How long. will
the rich Cypress the pOorq Labour be-
ing 90 cheap and labourers so numerous,
the schooner Gamma Ulrich"o takes away
to Trinidad, on monthly average, about
30 to 40 lahourers, who are Obliged to
leaye. the island in view of getting en-
nl0yment and fair wages. @ Yet the Cow
agrees with the selfish, unjust
aud narrow.minded planters that there
are not sufficient labourersnavailable to
take, of the crop and work at the Water
Works simultaneously. So the pipes. are
It rest on them Wharf, anllathe Water.
Works are still in allegiance /; while the
,ooE people are perishing for a draughta
# wholesome water.-C0aMNNicGted.3 eaf