218 TRINIDAD. 



occasionally employed, and he was particularly so engaged, in 

 superintending the construction of the government and court- 

 houses. The office is, at present, held by Mr. Lewis Wainwright 

 Samuel, a native of the island, who lately performed the task of 

 bringing the Maraval water into town. He is also the engineer 

 of the borough council. 



Superintendent, 400 ; clerical assistance, 100 ; keeper of 

 powder magazine, 50 ; allowances, and travelling expenses, 

 170: 720. 



Post Office. It was under the government of Lord Harris, 

 that a regular postal communication was established between the 

 different parts of the island. The mails are made up, for certain 

 districts, every day, except Sunday ; for others, twice a week, 

 and for the remotest parts, only once a week. The service is 

 performed by the police, and the letters must be posted with 

 stamps. There is but one district, namely, in the chief town, 

 where letters are distributed daily by a letter-carrier; in the 

 other districts, the parties send for them to the different police 

 stations. 



Colonial Postmaster, 300 ; clerk, 100 ; contingencies, 

 50 : 450. 



Botanic Garden. These grounds were laid out under 

 Sir Ralph Woodford, at the governor's residence, St. Ann's, 

 mainly with the object of encouraging the propagation of 

 spice trees. Flowers and vegetables are, at present, the 

 principal growth ; but little or no encouragement is given to 

 the cultivation and amelioration of fruit trees in my opinion, 

 a great oversight. 



Botanist, 150; allowances for labour, 100 ; implements, 

 repairs, 50 : 300. 



Agent in London, 80 ; allowances, office and stationery, 

 25: 105. 



JUDICIAL SECTION. I have already stated, that the " illus- 

 trious cabildo," or more properly speaking, the " alcaldes in 

 ordinary " were vested with judiciary powers, with the assistance 

 of a Spanish lawyer. These powers, however, they exercised 

 within reduced limits, since the majority of cases were decided by 

 arbitration, each party choosing a friend as arbitrator ; should these 

 not have come to an agreement, they then chose an umpire, who 

 sided with either one or the other. 



