GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. 189 



and the collection of taxes. They held petty sessions, and had 

 the power of fining and condemning to prison ; they acted also 

 as coroners. All judicial summonses and citations were sent 

 from the supreme courts in Port-of- Spain to these officers, whose 

 certificate was a sufficient proof of service. These important 

 functionaries were allowed an "alguazil/' or constable, as an 

 executive officer, who was paid a small salary, raised by an 

 alguazil-tax levied on every estate. The commandant was always 

 one of the most respectable inhabitants of the quarter, and his 

 office purely honorary. 



Colonel Picton, on taking charge of the island after its capitu- 

 lation, made no alteration in that administrative arrangement, but 

 chose, in addition, from amongst the most influential inhabitants, 

 u assessors/'' who formed a ' ' council of advice/'' which may be 

 regarded as the origin and foundation of the ' ' Council of Govern- 

 ment " which succeeded, and was afterwards changed into the 

 present " Legislative Council."" 



The powers and duties of the ' ' illustrious cabildo M and 

 *■' commandants of quarters " were gradually modified, until they 

 became extinct in the years 1840 and 1849, by the adoption of 

 the ordinance constituting the " Town Council of Port-of- Spain/'' 

 and of the territorial or wardens' ordinance. 



The " Court of Alcaldes in Ordinary >J was abolished in the 

 year 1823, and the judicial jurisdiction of the cabildo became 

 extinct. In the year 1840 an ordinance was passed for " regu- 

 lating the powers and constitution, and settling the mode of 

 election of the members of the corporate body called the ' Illus- 

 trious Cabildo ' of the town of Port-of- Spain, and changing the 

 name thereof to that of the Town Council of Port-of- Spain.-" 

 The qualifications for electors were, residence in or within three 

 miles of Port-of- Spain, and the payment of an annual house-rent 

 to the amount of ninety-six dollars ; in addition to which, coun- 

 cillors were to be worth .£500 free of all debts. The council was 

 thus rendered elective ; but the Governor still retained the presi- 

 dency over, and an absolute veto on, the proceedings of the town 

 council. In the year 1852, a petition was addressed by the town 

 councillors to the Governor in council, praying for a new consti- 

 tution based on the same principles as those embodied in the 

 Municipal Act of England. The prayer was granted, and the 

 name of the " Town Council " changed into that of the 



