The Crown Lands of British Guiana. 335 



About a fair average area for a wood-cutting grant on 

 the Demerara river is in my estimation between 250 and 

 300 acres. There is not the slightest necessity for sub- 

 letting, and if there were I could not recommend the 

 system as it would lead to complications all round. 



I do not think that as a rule, Aboriginal, or East Indians 

 are ever iuWy paid in money; the question is rather, are 

 they ever fully paid in any equivalent of money. This 

 subje6l is of vital importance ; there is the ordinance and 

 a just and right one, but it might as well not occupy 

 space in the law books, for it is worse than useless as it 

 leads the uninitiated to believe that there is really none. 

 Spirituous liquor in payment of wages is just exa6lly 

 like the preceding subject I have dealt with. What I 

 ask becomes of all the liquor taken up to these grants ? 

 It is no hidden fa6l that part of a man's rations on a 

 charcoal grant consists of rum, that is, the rations being 

 part of his a6lual pay, the labourer is partly paid in rum. 

 The two clauses in the existing regulations, just alluded to, 

 require re-constru6lion of such a nature as to render 

 them applicable to the morally and physically good 

 purpose for which they were intended. We want some- 

 thing that cannot be slipped round — something grasp- 

 ing — something with no holes in it, then things will be 

 healthier for both master and servant. 



A great deal could be said in favour of imposing a 

 restri6lion on the size of Greenheart and Bullet trees cut 

 on Crown Lands, and just as much against it. When 

 looked at from all points of view, however, it is 

 a toss up which is the better course to pursue — I would 

 give the wood-cutter, and the public generally, the 

 benefit of the doubt by having no restriftion at all. 



UU3 



