54 TRINIDAD. 



paid for their passage. Every person engaging an immigrant 

 should pay his passage-money in full, or by yearly instalments, 

 within a certain period at an interest of 6 or 8 per cent., and 

 with a preferential security on the property. The Government 

 should, on the other hand, guarantee the services of the labourers 

 to those engaging them; it might go further still, and act as 

 security for the payment of any passage-money advanced by the 

 contractors. On the other hand, it would be the interest, as well 

 as the duty of the planter, to conciliate and preserve the labourer 

 for whose services he had advanced money ; and the freedom 

 and interests of the immigrant could be effectually protected by 

 laws passed to that effect ; every emigrant, for instance, could be 

 rendered perfectly independent on paying to his employer the 

 money advanced for his passage. I think that by the adoption of 

 this or any other like plan, the interests of all would be protected, 

 and the welfare of these colonies promoted. 



Connected with this vital subject of immigration, are several 

 subsidiaries of essential importance. The introduction of labourers 

 ought to be gradual and restricted within certain limits, both on 

 account of the necessity of acclimatization, and the risk of an in- 

 sufficient supply of food ; it should, therefore, be made imperative 

 on the contractors in order to prevent a scarcity, and consequent 

 rise in the price of food to import, together with the immigrants, 

 a certain quantity of alimentary articles suited to their habits of 

 diet, and which they could easily and certainly dispose of at a 

 moderate profit. The cultivation of " ground-provisions " ought 

 also to be encouraged, and a certain extent of public lands pro- 

 portionate to the number of emigrants introduced should be 

 offered every year to public competition, the revenue from the 

 sales to be applied to the making of roads and the maintenance 

 of public schools ; otherwise, to revert to the purposes of immi- 

 gration. 



Unaided immigration should also be encouraged by a judicious 

 law of naturalization, and the sale of crown-lands. This would 

 introduce skill and capital, continuous and cheap labour, with 

 cheap food all tending, as they must, to increase the value of 

 property, by augmenting the revenue therefrom ; so that capitalists 

 would no longer hesitate to come forward and make investments 

 at a reasonable rate. But the old system of advances on produce 

 must be abandoned ; for not only is it certain ruin to the planter, 

 but also very hazardous to the party advancing. From 8 to 12 

 per cent, is, I believe, a very fair return ; but from 20 to 30 per 

 cent, is robbery under a different and more specious term that-of 

 accommodation. 



Capital, however, requires more security still ; I mean surety 

 against internal revolutions, and external invasions. But, in this 

 respect, the Home Government seems to have come to the deter- 



