Report of Society's Meetings. 



i»i 



(?. — When the work is paid by task what may be the probable earn- 

 ings of able-bodied labourers, men and women working 9 hours a day ? 



Cane Cutting Men 



do Planting do 



do Hole Digging do 



Trenching & draining do 



Forking do 



Hoe Ploughing 



Weeding Men & Women. 



Moulding do do . 



Road Making do do ., 



Other Labour — — 



It will be noticed that these rates are higher than under question i, 

 being based on a full day of 9 hours, the other rates being for an ordi- 

 nary day. 



Q. — What are the statutory or usual sizes of the tasks of each kind 

 mentioned, &c. ? 



A. — Varies so that this is virtually unanswerable, 



Q. — Please state generally whether there is a demand in your Colony 

 for Emigrant artisans, labourers and others of the classes described 

 under head i ? 



A. — There is no demand at present for artisans. There is plenty of 

 work for all other classes of labourers, but especially for steady field 

 labourers. Good domestic servants can always find employment. 

 Demand for unskilled labour is decidedly on the increase. 



Q. — Can persons of the labouring classes, with or without a little 

 capital, acquire small holdings of arable land, cleared or uncleared, and 

 on what terms ? 



A. — On nearly all Sugar Estates and elsewhere, labourers can get land 

 on lease for terms of 2 and 3 years, the first 10 months being given free 

 of rent. Rent as a rule is Si an acre per month. Land can be ob- 

 tained from the Government at Si per acre freehold, subject to Crown 

 Lands Regulations ; this latter sort of land is of course uncleared, the 

 former is as a rule cleared and is also, if on an estate, properly drained] 

 Village lots can also be obtained but the taixation is somewhat heavy. 



Q. — What is the probable cost of living of persons of the labouring 

 class in your Colony per head per day, including house rent, board and 

 clothing, the diet being pickled and salted fish, meal, rice, sweet 

 potatoes, &c. 



