The Hindus in the West Indies. 31 



(6) '' The Indian immigrant must be made to feel and know that all 

 marriages contracted in the colony are as binding as those performed in 

 his own country. The present law is not considt-red in this light by 

 them, but looked upon as a matter of convenience, to be thrown aside 

 whenever it becomes irksome." This might be done by having some 

 ceremony which would impress our coolies. Marriages performed at the 

 Immigration Department lack a ceremony and show. 



(f) Considering the frequent wife-murders that occur in the colony, 

 some stringent laws should be enacted to prevent the enticing away of 

 women. 



((/) But the very best means of improving our coolies in this respect 

 would be by importing a few ship-loads of women, and also endeavour 

 to persuade our coolies to inter-marry with Creoles, and vice versa. We 

 know of several of these marriages that have proven very happy. 



There is one more point and we conclude. Many coolies for the sake 

 of being married have consented to be baptised. There is a vast differ- 

 ence between christening and Christainizing. Such baptisms will bring 

 the Christian Religion into discredit. We also believe that the coolies 

 are greatly demoralized by this lowering of the standard of Christianity. 

 We cannot help asking the question " Would Christian Ministers perform 

 such marriage ceremonies if there were no fees ? 



The Clergy, some of them, do not seem to know that there is a law 

 which forbids even publication of banns under the penalty of £10 without 

 first obtaining permission from the Immigration Department to publish 

 the banns — -for it frequently happens that the contracting parties have 

 already another partner, duly registered at the Depot. This permit of 

 the Immigration Agent General however only safeguards the officiating 

 minister from incurring the penalty but in most cases when the contract- 

 ing parties were born in India, it is fairly safe to conclude that they 

 were already married in India. 



(1) Max Midler's " Chips." Vol. 11, 34, 38, 10. 



(2) Bronkhurst " The Origin of the Guyanian Indians " page 23. 



(3) Do. Do. Do. page 23. 



(4) Saptapadi, c.f the Latin sejjtem and pes pedis — aeven steps. 



(5) Monier Williams's " Hinduism," p. 63. 



