§ MR. ERRINGTONasked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the attention of the Colonial Office has been directed to the fact that, in the Windward Islands, stipendiary magistrates, who have exclusive jurisdiction in all cases between masters and servants as well as control over certain Excise questions, are, in some cases, themselves large employers of labour and distillers, and even have Coolies indentured to them; and, whether such a practice will be maintained?
§ MR. EVELYN ASHLEYSir, only one instance of the kind has as yet been reported to the Colonial Office, and that is the case of a magistrate in Granada. The indentures of the Coolies on his estate were about to expire, and have now expired, so that no action was necessary as to that; but inquiry is being made as to whether he is in the trade of a distiller; and, if it be so, he will be called upon either to give up his business or his office; for the practice referred to in the Question is not approved of by the Colonial Office.