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gration of Free Labourers from Africa," together with a copy of the Attorney General's Report, and of the correspondence which took place between Lieutenant Governor Kortright and myself.

GRENADA.

I have, &c.
(signed) J. Hincks.

Enclosure 1. Enclosure 3.

Encl. 1, in No. 6.

Enclosure 1, in No. 6.

(No. 40.)

Sir,

Government Office, Grenada, 6 May 1858.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Excellency a Bill passed by the Council and
Assembly of Grenada, intituled, " An Act to promote the Immigration of Free Labourers
from Africa," together with the Attorney General's Report thereon."

I have, &c. (signed)

C. H. Kortright.

Enclosure 2, in No. 6.

(No. 169.)

Sir,

Windward Islands, Barbados, 13 May 1858. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of a Despatch from Lieutenant Governor Kortright, transmitting the copy of a Bill passed by the Council and Assembly of Grenada, intituled, "An Act to promote the Immigration of Free Labourers from Africa," together with the Attorney General's Report thereon; and I have to convey to you my authority to assent to that Bill.

His Honor the President.

I have, &c. (signed)

F. Hincks.

Enclosure 3, in No. 6.

(No. 55.)

Sir,

Government Office, Grenada, 8 June 1858. I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Excellency an authenticated copy in duplicate of an Act passed by the Council and Assembly of this island, intituled, "An Act to promote the Immigration of Free Labourers from Africa," together with a duplicate copy of the Attorney General's Report thereon.

His Excellency Governor Hincks,

&r. &c. &c.
Barbados.

I have, &c.

(signed) C. Ready, Lieut. Colonel,
Administrator of Government.

No. 7.

Encl. 2, in No. 6.

Encl 3, in No. 6.

(No. 34.)

COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor Hincks to the Right Honourable
Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart. м P.

Windward Islands, Barbados,

10 July 1858.
(Received, 2 August 1858.)

Sir, (Answered, No. 16, 4 September 1858, page 105.) WITH reference to Lord Stanley's Despatch of the 27th April, I have the honour to transmit the copy of a Despatch from the Administrator of the Government of Grenada, reporting the concurrence of the Executive Council in the proposition made by the Emigration Commissioners to offer a bonus if necessary to induce coolie emigrants to come to Grenada. I have no doubt that the Council would be equally willing to agree to the shortening of the period of industrial residence, should it be found necessary to hold out such an inducement. I have written for further information on this point, and shall endeavour to add a postscript to this Despatch after the arrival of the mail.

2. I consider this a fitting opportunity to direct your attention to the report of the Grenada Immigration Agent,* which accompanies Lieutenant Governor Kortright's report on the Blue Book for 1857, transmitted in my Despatch of the 10th May. The enclosure is numbered 3, and the point which I particularly desire to notice in connexion with the present correspondence (which

This will be found in the Reports on the Blue Books for 1857, under the head Grenada.

No. 7.

Governor Hincks
to the Right Hon.
Sir E. B. Lytton
Bart., M. P.

10 July 1858.

Enclosure.

GRENADA.

(which has arisen owing to complaints from India of the lowness of the Grenada rates of wages, viz., 10 d. a day) is Mr. Cockburn's statement of the wages at present actually paid to the coolies.

3. I quote from paragraph 9 of the Report: "Of the survivors it is also gratifying to report that they are doing well. Their employers are quite satisfied with them and they with their employers. They all do field labour, and are considered good hands at weeding and cutting, and although they cannot do as much as the native labourer, they perform their work much neater, and make up in quality what they lack in quantity. Very few have been able as yet to turn out with the first class in holeing;' those who do obtain fuli wages (10 d. per day), the others are paid 8 d. and 6 d. according to the class to which they belong, and all get 3 d. for extra hours during crop, so that they can save money, &c.'

4. You will perceive from this report that while the Emigration Agent in India has complained of the established current rate of wages in Grenada, viz., 10 d. per day, in point of fact "very few" are paid that rate, while 8 d. and 6 d. are the ordinary wages of the coolies. I do not myself understand precisely the meaning of the phrase "class to which they belong." In Barbados 6 d. is the rate given to children, while with others almost all work is paid by the task.

5. My own opinion is, that the rates of 6d. and 8 d. are wholly inadequate wages for adult males in Grenada, and if the planters are allowed to classify the labourers under indenture, even with the concurence of the Immigration Agent, I have no doubt much injustice will be practised. I attach little importance to the statement of the Immigration Agent that the labourers are satisfied. They are not getting justice, and if they are satisfied it must be because they are imposed upon in some way.

6. I ought to mention that I had a conversation on this subject with Mr. Kortright when on his way to England, but I did not find that he concurred in opinion with me as to the labourers being underpaid, and as I find that my views on the labour question differ so videly from those of the Emigration Commissioners and the Governors generally in these Colonies, I have not deemed it expedient to notice the subject to the Administrator of the Government of Grenada.

7. I have no doubt that if Her Majesty's Government were to direct that no indenture should be allowed to remain in force where less than 10 d. per day was paid to a male adult, all the immigrants would be taken up at once at that rate in Grenada, or in any other Colony in this Government except Barbados. That is what the Grenada Government itself has reported to be the current rate of wages in the Colony, and it most assuredly must be considered low enough when St Lucia has offered 1 s.

8. I have thought it my duty to call your attention to Mr. Cockburn's report, and to the manner in which, in my judgment, the Grenada planters are evading the fulfilment of their own offers.

I have, &c. (signed) F. Hincks.

P.S.-I have ascertained that the Grenada Government would rather give a bonus down than increase wages or diminish the term of industrial residence. F. Hincks.

Encl. in No. 7.

Sir,

Enclosure in No. 7.

Government Office, Grenada, 25 June 1858. I HAVE the honour to report to your Excellency that your Despatch of the 25th May 1858, Grenada, No 174, covering a Despatch from the Secretary of State, and its enclosures, was brought under the consideration of the Executive Council on the 224 instant. At this meeting it was unanimously agreed, that, for the purpose of obtaining immigrants to this island, the system of offering a-bonus to such immigrants at the port of embarkation should be adopted, provided they cannot be obtained at the rate of wages proposed to be given to them in this Colony.

His Excellency Governor Hincks,
&c.

&c.

&c. Barbados.

I have, &c. (signed) C. Ready, Administering the Government.

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COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor Hincks to the Right Honourable
Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart. M.P.

Windward Islands, Barbados,

27 July 1858.
(Received, 16 August 1858.)

(Answered, No. 15, 4 September 1858, page 105.)

Sir, WITH reference to my Despatch of the 24th instant, I have now the honour to report that I have received a Despatch from Lieutenant Colonel Ready, administering the Government of Grenada, in which he informs me that it is the desire of the Council of that Colony that Mr. Caird should continue to act as agent for the present. Unless the co-operation of St. Vincent could be obtained, the plan of a common agency could hardly be carried out, and up to the present time St. Vincent has not been in a position to sustain an emigration of coolies.

GRENADA.

No. 8. Governor Hincks to the Right Hon. Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart. M. P.

27 July 1858.

I have, &c. (signed)

F. Hincks.

(No. 42.)

-

- No. 9.

COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor Hincks to the Right Honourable
Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart. M. P.

Sir,

Windward Islands, Barbados, 31 August 1858.
(Received, 2 October 1858.)

I HAVE the honour to transmit to you the copy of a Despatch from Lieutenant Colonel Ready, Administrator of the Government of Grenada, being a preliminary Report on the coolie immigrants per ship "Fulwood."

No. 9. Governor Hincks to the Right Hon. Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart. M. P. 31 August 1858.

No. 71. 20 August 1858. Enclosure.

(No. 71.)

Enclosure in No. 9.

I have, &c. (signed)

F. Hincks.

Government House, Grenada,
20 August 1858.

Sir, REFERRING to your Excellency's Despatch, Grenada, No. 193, 13 August 1858, giving cover to the copy of a Despatch from the Secretary of State, together with the copy of a letter from the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners, I have to assure your Excellency that the instructions of the Secretary of State, contained in the 3d paragraph of his Despatch, to send home, at the end of six months from the arrival of the "Fulwood," a report on the state of the immigrants, shall be punctually attended to.

2. As some time must yet elapse before this report can be forwarded, I think it proper that I should state that, since the landing of the immigrants by the "Fulwood," only one death has occurred among them, and this in the case of an old man who was in a debilitated state when disembarked, though not at the time actually sick.

3. The report of the Immigration Agent, which was conveyed to your Excellency in Mr. President Checkley's Despatch, No. 58, Executive, Grenada, 5 June 1858, showed that there were no sick people among them when landed, and the mortality on the voyage had been 10 per cent, that on board the "Maidstone" having been 24 per cent.

4. The Executive Council have resolved that legislative measures shall be taken for regulating the passenger traffic between Grenada and the neighbouring Colonies.

His Excellency Governor Hincks,

&c. &c. &c.

(signed)

I have, &c.

C. Ready, Lieut. Colonel,
Administrator of Government.

Barbados.

Encl. in No. 9.

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No. 10. Governor Hincks to the Right Hon. Sir E. B. Lytton, Bart. M. P.

2 September 1858.

(No. 46.)

COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor Hincks to the Right Honourable
Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Bart. M. P.

Sir,

Windward Islands, Barbados, 2 September 1858. (Received, 2 October 1858.)

(Answered, No. 26, 23 October 1858, page 107.)

I HAVE the honour to transmit to you the copy of a Despatch from Lieu

21 August 1858, tenant Colonel Ready, Administering the Government of Grenada, enclosing

Enclosure.

a Memorandum, exhibiting the arrangements made in that Colony for meeting the expenses of immigration during the approaching season. I may observe, that I have authorised Lieutenant Colonel Ready to assent to the Export Act, which is similar in its provisions to Acts which have been approved of by Her Majesty's Government.

2. In Mr. Murdoch's letter to Mr. Under Secretary Merivale, transmitted in your Despatch of the 29th July, he observes, "To Grenada I presume that no emigrants will be sent during the approaching season, unless funds shall be specially provided for the purpose by the Colonial Legislature." I venture to hope that the enclosed Memorandum will be found satisfactory, and that the agent at Calcutta may be instructed to send a cargo of coolies to Grenada as usual. The necessary funds, I can state with confidence, will be forthcoming.

3. I have transmitted to the Administrator of Grenada copies of the letters enclosed in your Despatch already referred to, but I do not think it probable that it would be considered expedient by the Government of that Colony to make any change at present in the period of industrial residence.

Encl. in No. 10.

(No. 73.)

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Sub-Enclosure.

Sir, Government Office, Grenada, 21 August 1858. WITH reference to your Excellency's Despatch, Grenada, No. 188, 29th July 1858, transmitting the copy of a Despatch from the Secretary of State, enclosing the copy of a letter from Sir Charles Trevelyan to Mr. Merivale, together with the copy of a Treasury Minute with reference to that portion of the Imperial guarantee loan apportioned to the Colony of Grenada, I have the honour to assure your Excellency that care shall be taken that the necessary funds be transmitted from this country in due time to meet the payments on the interest and sinking fund on the loan, at the Bank of England, on the 1st January and 1st July in each year.

2. I have the honour to enclose herewith a Memorandum, exhibiting the mode in which it is proposed to meet the expenses which will be incurred next year for the interest and sinking fund on account of the loan, and likewise for the payment of another ship-load of coolies.

3. As your Excellency will perceive, from the answers to my messages which I have received from both branches of the Legislature during their late sitting, the degree of importance attached to the importation of coolies by the people of this country, and from the passing of the Export Bill, the means that have been adopted to meet the attendant expenses, I have the honour respectfully to request that you will take such steps as may ensure the arrival of another ship-load of coolies in this island during the ensuing season.

His Excellency Governor Hincks,

&c. &c. &c. Barbados.

I have, &c. (signed) C. Ready, Lieut. Col. Administrator of Government.

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Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor Hincks to the Right Honourable
Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Bart. M. P.

Windward Islands, Barbados, 19 November 1858.

(Received, 16 December 1858.)

(Answered, No. 36, 28 January 1859, page 108.)

Sir, WITH reference to your Despatch of the 15th July last,* I have the honour to transmit to you the copy of a Despatch from the Administrator of the Government of Grenada, enclosing the copy of a letter from the Immigration Agent in that island, covering three Returns containing what I hope will be considered satisfactory information regarding the coolie immigrants.

No. 11.
Governor Hincks

to the Right Hon.
Sir E. B. Lytton,
Bart. M. P.
19 Nov. 1858.

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Enclosure in No. 11.

I have, &c. (signed)

F. Hincks.

Encl. in No. 11.

(No. 88.)

Government Office, Grenada,
9 November 1858.

Sir, WITH reference to your letter, Grenada, No. 193, Barbados, 13th August 1858, containing the copy of a Despatch from the Secretary of State, Greneda, No. 11, 15 July 1858, and covering a letter from the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners containing remarks on the great mortality among the immigrants, I have now the honour to transmit the copy of a letter from the Immigration Agent covering three tabulated returns showing the deaths that have occurred on the several estates, and the parochial distribution of those who arrived since the last return, and the consolidated form of the whole, deducting the deaths, and showing the total remaining.

His Excellency Governor Hincks, &c. &c. &c. Barbados.

I have, &c.
(signed)

C. Ready,
Administrator of Government.

Sub-Enclosure.

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