266 TlMEHRI. 



to the law of England. In Trinidad, the Spanish law 

 has been superseded by the English, but, in St. Lucia, 

 the French system of law has not only been retained 

 but has been reaffirmed by the Civil Code of that island.* 

 The want of a set policy is the occasion of lost oppor- 

 tunities, by leaving matters to be settled according to 

 the personality of the holders of high offices. Hence, it 

 is not too, much to say that, had the codification of the 

 laws of St. Lucia not been taken in hand by Sir WILLIAM 

 Des VOEUXand Chief Justice ARMSTRONG, whowere both 

 of them members of the Canadian Bar, but by Chief Justice 

 CaRRINGTON, a member of the English Bar, the laws of 

 that island would probably have been assimilated to the 

 English system. Throughout the group, the drafting of laws 

 is engaging the time and attention (with some help of scis- 

 sors and paste) of some eight or nine law officers, where one 

 ought to suffice : and a word to them from head quarters 

 would soon bring about an assimilation of the laws of 

 the various colonies. To improve the administration of 

 the law, no fitter means could be provided than the 

 establishment of a West Indian Court of Appeal, the 

 very coming into existence of which would be a harbin- 

 ger of Union. On a smaller scale, such a Court of 

 Appeal has been at work in the Windward Islands for 

 many years, with high advantage to the administration 

 of justice among the islanders. By means of it many a 

 forlorn suitor has obtained a favourable rehearing of his 

 cause, who could not have approached the Privy Council, 

 owing to the vast expense inseparable from an appeal to 

 that august tribunal. The right of appeal to the Privy 



* In Trinidad, assimilation has extended even to the Law of Inheri- 

 tance. (Ordinance 24 of 1S45.J 



