310 Trmehri. 
two of the Provinces of Canada, they are debarred from the franchise. 
In places that are not British, their position is worse. They are simply 
“not wanted ” wherever their labour would militate against the interests - 
of white labour; or wherever the policy, ulterior or avowed, is to keep 
the population white. One who had lived and moved for many years 
amongst the East Indians of the colony, and had ample opportunities for 
making comparisons (Rev. H. V. P. Bronkhurst) wrote: “I have no 
hesitation in saying that the coolies of this colony are quite as well off 
as a large portion of the labouring classes of England ; certainly they 
are more comfortably situated and more prosperous than the peasantry 
of Ireland. In addition to all these comforts, they have the amplest 
means of redress should they consider themselves aggrieved; and their 
national customs and peculiar prejudices are not in the least interfered 
with. Indeed, they are, perhaps, allowed too much freedom in these 
matters.” 
On the sugar plantations, the East Indians, both indentured and 
free, are fairly well looked after. As regards the indentured people, 
things are different to what they were forty odd years ago, when Sir 
G. W. des Voeux despatched his sensational Memorial to the Secretary of 
State for the Colonies in which he charged the planters with ill-treating 
the labourers and adversely criticised the working of the immigration 
system. The allegations had a basis of fact, as found by a Commission 
of inquiry ; but the planters were exonerated from “ intuitional neglect 
or indifference to the well-being of the people,’—the “defects ” of the 
system, as they were termed, being attributed to “errors of judgment, 
insufficiency of the law, or want of foresight.” 
Some necessary reforms and a re-organization of the Immigration 
Department followed the Commissioners’ investigation, and the system 
has been working pretty smoothly since. The general treatment of the 
immigrant to-day hardly gives cause |for complaint. Sometimes there 
are disputes over wages; but in these cases the intervention of the 
Immigration Agent of the district often leads to a settlement; and 
managers are willing to make reasonable concessions. The housing 
accommodation is good. Sick immigrants get attended to in well- 
appointed and well-ordered jhospitals, under qualified sicknurses and 
dispensers, and are visited thrice a week by Government Medical Officers. 
Leave of absence is occasionally allowed, and a general holiday given. 
An industrious labourer often earns considerably more than what would 
be considered “a fair day’s wage.” The children of the immigrants are 
educated in English schools, which are State-aided. Even the free 
immigrants on the estates have reason to be satisfied with the treatment 
they receive. Mr. Duff stated that they are accorded “ practically the 
same treatment ” as the indentured people. Captain Gibson (Immigration 
Agent) who has served in India, remarked in a recent report: “ On 
estates the conditions of the free immigrants are distinctly good. They 
are well housed, given free hospital, free wood, cheap pasturing for their 
cattle, and their rice lands are rented for from $3 to $8 per acre. Off 
