120 BRITISH HONDURAS. 



decrease in the number of persons of Barbadian birth still 

 resident in the colony. 



The Coolies, working chiefly on the sugar estates, are for the 

 most part time-expired Coolies from Jamaica, who, having been 

 originally introduced by the Immigration Department of that 

 island, are at liberty, at the end of five years, to return to India 

 or to remain in the West Indies as labourers on their own terms. 

 Of such Coolies at present in British Honduras, there are about 

 200 engaged on sugar estates and small plantations ; and as the 

 colony has a good name amongst this class of labourers it is 

 probable the number will increase. 



Captain Marriner, who has very obligingly given me a 

 memorandum on the labour question in British Honduras, 

 remarks : " . . . The rate of wages in this colony is high 

 in comparison with other parts of the West Indies, but it varies 

 very much in different districts. The Creole, the Spaniard, and 

 the Carib get from $7 to $12 a month, in addition to rations, 

 or $15 to $18 a month without rations. The rations consist of 

 4 Ibs. salt pork and 7 quarts of flour a week. 



"The Indian and Cooly will work for $11 a month and find 

 himself, or $4 a month with rations. 



" In all cases tools and implements are found by the employer. 



"There is a special Act of Legislature, called 'The Master and 

 Servants Act,' peculiar to the colony, under which all labourers 

 hire. Many of its conditions are considered hard and severe 

 upon the servant ; but it is also binding on the master. Most 

 of the labourers know what they have a right to, and they 

 get it. 



" There is another matter, peculiar, I believe, to this colony, 

 and that is the advance system. 



" Under the ' Master and Servants Act,' above mentioned, a 

 labourer cannot be hired for more than twelve months. The 



