44 Timehri. 



Now 61 Garden Reach, for many years leased by the British Guiana 

 Government, was the residence of the ex-King's Prime Minister, and an 

 interesting relic of former times was its Bear Pit (subsequently altered to 

 meet the purposes of a Depot Hospital) with its wild flight of stone steps 

 leading to a quadrangular balcony, beneath which were the dens for 

 the animals. From this balcony fights between wild beasts were witnessed 

 in safety. 



Up to 1916 about a mile of terraced walls, with arches of masonry, 

 remained to show how far the Palaces and grounds had extended, but 

 about this time their demolition commenced, for the value of the bricks in 

 connection with huge dock extension works in the vicinity. The walls 

 and terraces, though in a tine state of preservation, had, from long disuse, 

 become overgrown with bush, providing a refuge for numerous jackals 

 and cobras which had taken up residence there. Disturbed by the de- 

 molition of the walls these latter had perforce to tind fresh pastures, with 

 the result that hardly a week passed but a good fat cobra was killed in 

 the Depot Compounds just across the street. 



The Trinidad Agency at 21 Garden Beach, a very imposing looking 

 building, standing in fine well-kept grounds, is considerrd a good 

 example of the houses built in Calcutta in early days. It contained an 

 elaborate stair-case built entirely of mahogany, the ground floor of the 

 building being throughout of black and white marble. No Government 

 House in the West Indies approached it in point of size, or in the beauty 

 of its extensive grounds and, needless to say, no Agent that lived in it 

 was able to furnish and occupy the whole building — even after setting 

 aside an entire wing for Office purposes. 



In 1914 the property was compulsorily acquired by the Port Com- 

 missioners for Dock extension works the price paid being iu the vicinity 

 of £40,000. 



With the loss of 21 Garden Beach, which had a River frontage, the 

 facility of embarking coolies direct from the Agency's private jetty, 

 which all the Colonies had enjoyed, went. Subsequent embarkation 

 necessitated coolies being marched through the streets to the Docks, 

 with the risks of interference and desertions on the way. 



The System of Recruitment. 



The system of recruitment of labourers in India for the Colonies 

 has alwaj'8 been carried on through the medium of professional recruiters, 

 who, before they may be employed, must be certified by the Magistrate 

 of their Districts to be of good character. Licences, which were issued 

 by the Protector of Emigrants on the strength of these character cer- 

 tificates were tenable for one year only, and came up for renewal annually. 

 These recruiters were not however employees of the Emigration Agent 

 but of middle-men termed Sub-Agents, men with a little capital, Mahouie- 

 dans, Hindus, and Native Jews. 



