186 TRINIDAD. 



simultaneously established by the Protestant and the Catholic 

 communities. By the ordinance of 1876, it had been made 

 lawful for the Governor to order payment to the managers of the 

 schools of a capitation fee, not exceeding £10, for each child 

 sent thereto. It was also agreed that funds would be advanced 

 by the Government in aid of the establishment of the schools, 

 such advance to be reimbursed within a fixed period. 



The Catholics succeeded in obtaining the co-operation of a 

 religious body, had found a suitable site, and were prepared to 

 begin at once ; but the Anglican bishop and clergy having 

 declared that they were not ready yet to start their school, th( 

 whole affair was dropped— but not for ever, as I sincerely hope 

 and desire. 



Offences, as it appears, are not so common in those counti( 

 where the number of small proprietors is larger; and this 

 easily accounted for. The social condition of individuals mi 

 have its influence, and that a powerful one, on the perpetratioi 

 of crime, particularly of offences against property. It is, henc( 

 undeniable that the small cottager who can live independently 

 by cultivating his own land is less exposed to the commission ol 

 crime than the day labourers, who live in a crowded state on 

 sugar estate, and are wholly dependent upon money wages, pai 

 weekly or fortnightly, for their subsistence. It may be objecte 

 that the estate labourer is, in more than one respect, more com- 

 fortable, generally speaking, than the cottager ; his lodging is 

 free, and he neither pays taxes nor is burdened with house repairs ; 

 whereas, on the other hand, the cottager, though conscious that 

 the pressure of these very burdens should urge him to increased 

 exertion, does not seek to realise his independence by cultivating 

 his land to the degree he might and ought. 



Evidently, however, this cannot invalidate the principle I 

 have laid down ; and I have no doubt that, were it practicable 

 to induce the labourers located on estates to cultivate their own 

 small patches of garden-land, the number of offences would 

 greatly decrease in the rural districts. 



I cannot conclude this chapter without giving again expres- 

 sion to a regret that there is not, in connection with the Royal 

 Gaol, a house of correction for young offenders, or, what would 

 be better still, a penitentiary farm, where they would receive 

 primary instruction, religious education, and industrial training ; 



