INTRODUCTION. 29 



masters whatever wages they thought proper the greatest 

 number of them receiving from forty to fifty cents (Is. 8d. to 

 2s. Id.) per measured task of field work. 



The task system, which had been adopted in Trinidad on 

 nearly all cacao, and on several sugar plantations, during the 

 period of slavery, was almost immediately afterwards enforced on 

 all other estates ; and in few cases only, did an able labourer take 

 more than/owr hours to perform the allotment some of them 

 ranging as far as from two to two and a half tasks per day. In 

 nearly all the colonies, the planters were necessitated to submit 

 to the terms of the labourers ; the consequence was, that the 

 greater number of planters who had been extricated from their 

 liabilities by the compensation grant, became soon involved to 

 very large amounts especially those who had attempted the in- 

 troduction of improvements. On several estates, the labourers 

 lost their wages their employers having been ruined ; and, let 

 me remark here that, under those trying circumstances, the 

 labouring class, generally, behaved very generously many of 

 them continuing to work for several months without exacting or 

 receiving wages. Lest they should be soon placed in a similar 

 position, the other employers, compelled by necessity, began to 

 give less wages, and to exact more work ; the labourers, there- 

 upon, became dissatisfied, arid the emancipated population began 

 gradually to retire from estate to field work. It was about this 

 period, and in consequence of this movement, that they were 

 ejected from the houses and lands they occupied on estates, 

 and their provision grounds destroyed. 



" During the past two years," says Lord Harris, " great 

 exertions have been used by sugar growers here, to lower the 

 cost of production through a diminished rate of wages, and by 

 getting more work performed ; this has caused dissatisfaction 

 among the labourers, and increased their migratory and idle 

 inclinations, which has resulted in a visible inattention to their 

 provision grounds an evil of serious import, operating unfavour- 

 ably against reduced cost of production, by rendering the labourer 

 totally dependent upon high money wages to pay for imported 

 articles of consumption, an alarming position to be in with the 

 prospect of curtailed employment, through sugar cultivation being 

 diminished." 



" The general excuse offered by the labourers for their inat- 

 tention to raising provisions is, that they are liable to be robbed 

 and turned off estates. True, this is the case ; but the latter is 

 invariably caused by their own fickleness and perverse acts." 

 (Lord Harris to Earl Grey. April, 1848.) 



Could the planters exercise any control over such circum- 

 stances ? They did struggle to the utmost of their power, and, as 

 a class, they are more worthy of praise than of blame. 



