DUTIES OF A WARDEN. 363 



of these forty-three wards created in the year 1847, there are now 

 ten unions ; and in the same ratio, ten instead of forty-three 

 wardens. As regards the appointment of the latter, the rule 

 established by Lord Harris has been reversed, and the warden 

 cannot now have any landed interest in the union to which he is 

 appointed ; so that he must be, in so far, a perfect stranger both 

 to the inhabitants and the interests of the district over whom and 

 which he is called to preside. Time will prove whether the change 

 is a judicious one or not ; my impression is that it will not succeed. 

 It will be granted, I assume, by all who lived in Trinidad at 

 the period of emancipation, that some sort of organisation, similar 

 to that introduced by His Excellency Lord Harris, was urgent. 

 During the period of slavery, the masters had the entire control and 

 government of the slaves and the whole slave population that is 

 to say, the largest proportion of the inhabitants of the island came 

 but very indirectly under the surveillance of the Government. 

 When, however, all were placed under the common law, and 

 were governed through the same agents, direct taxation became 

 necessary to defray the increased expenses of a more complicated 

 administration, and more extended jurisdiction. Now, I think 

 that the responsibilities of the wardens were both too weighty, and 

 their respective functions too various and complex to be efficiently 

 and successfully fulfilled by one individual. The warden was, at 

 the same time, collector of taxes, surveyor of the roads, and ad- 

 ministrator of the ward all functions requiring much time and 

 close attention. Moreover, this accumulation of such onerous 

 offices in one and the same official, prevented all check to undue 

 authority. That the ordinance was faulty, in several respects, is 

 proved by the alterations which have since been made, though 

 still the most objectionable parts are left untouched. It is also 

 very evident, that the principle upon which the ordinance was 

 originally based, has been violated in all its integrity ; in fact, it 

 has been made an auxiliary to the treasury of the colony, instead 

 of being, as it should be, an instrument in local revenue for local 

 purposes. New clauses have been added to render it more 

 stringent, the responsibility of the wards has been greatly in- 

 creased, and it would really appear that no limits exist between 

 general and local purposes ; on the contrary, every possible burden 

 has been made local, in order to free the general funds from the 

 most legitimate charges. For instance, in the last edition of the 



