HISTORICAL SKETCH. 463 



Everard Rushworth, Esq. Governor Manners Sutton and Mr. 

 R/Ushworth had their serious attention called to the question of 

 squatting", a very important matter really. 



The government of Sir Arthur Gordon may be said to have 

 inaugurated a new era in the politics of Trinidad. It would 

 seem that he had for mission to undo several things which had 

 been done by some of his predecessors. He made important 

 changes in the system of public education introduced by Lord 

 Harris, the principal of which was the permission granted to 

 impart religious teaching in the school-room. The Board of 

 Education was remodelled, and an executive committee formed, 

 consisting of the Governor and eight members, four of whom 

 must be non-Catholics, aud four Roman Catholics. Schools of 

 primary education were divided into two classes — those estab- 

 lished and maintained by the Government, and those established 

 by local managers and receiving aid from the public funds of the 

 colony. Ministers of religion, or persons appointed by them 

 were permitted to give religious instruction in the Government 

 schools. With the object of promoting secondary education, 

 he established, in the place of the Queen's Collegiate School, a 

 college, called the Royal College of Trinidad. The manage- 

 ment of the college was vested in a council, styled the College 

 Council, with power, among other things, to declare any school 

 of secondary education to be a school in connection with the 

 Royal College, and entitled to aid from the public funds of the 

 colony, such aid to consist of a fixed salary to the principal or 

 head-master of the school — of capitation grants, under certain 

 conditions, to the pupils. This was a liberal scheme, showing 

 respect for the rights of the tax-payer and deference for the 

 religious sentiments of the people, who had no more reason for 

 refusing to participate in the advantages afforded by the Govern- 

 ment. 



In February, 1870, Governor McLeod's Ecclesiastical Ordi- 

 nance was repealed, save a few sections, and religious equality 

 re-established, all Christian denominations being called to share 

 proportionately in the Ecclesiastical Fund. 



Governor Gordon was particularly successful in his efforts to 

 suppress squatting. He first declared an upset price of crown 

 lands, viz., £1 per acre, and 10s. for lagoon lands. Next, 

 squatters were not only allowed, but invited, to legalise their 





