364 TlMEHRl. 
about one of the ordinances passed by the Legislature 
he did not see why they should not speak of the report 
now before them. 
Mr. Mackay said he still protested against the dis- 
cussion and wished to have the fa6l recorded on the 
minutes. 
The Chairman said the report was open for discussion. 
Mr. Hargreaves said that his daily work made him 
acquainted with the wants of the gold diggers and they 
desired that something be done at once. On reading the 
Report of the Commissioners however it appeared to 
him as if that something might be accomplished in the 
year two thousand, when those present would not be 
alive. In eight months of this year from February to 
September the number of labourers registered for the 
gold fields was 13,937, almost double that of last year. 
It took six or seven days to reach the Potaro and Cona- 
warook and cost at least a dollar a day for each man. 
An expedition cost about two thousand dollars, half of 
which might be saved if proper means of communication 
were offered. Five thousand new labourers had been 
taken on this year, and they would have to find more 
men to develop the industry. Their losses were con- 
siderable on account of sickness and the inability to 
reach a hospital when taken ill. It was necessary that 
proper means of communication should be opened imme- 
diately, and if this was not done the industry would 
suffer. None but the negroes of British Guiana were 
fit for the work and therefore they must take care of 
them. 
Mr. Winter said he was surprised at the opposition 
from a certain quarter to have this matter discussed. 
