x.
APPENDIX.
are Planters, without any legal education. They are liable to be concerned in civil suits in their o w n persons, or in those of their creditors and debtors. On one or two occasions an embarrassed chief justice has been the defendant in actions for debt in this court. The Court of Chancery consists of the Governor and the m e m bers of Council ; many of w h o m being Planters are suspected, j u s t l y or otherwise, of being under the influence of a certain wealthy merchant and mortgagee resident in the Island. These t w o Courts do not possess the confidence of all classes in the Colony. The Court of King's Bench is composed of the Justices of the Peace, w h o are thirty three in number, and are appointed by the Governor w i t h the approbation of the Council. T w e n t y of them however, are magistrates ex officio, viz. all the members of Council, Judges in the Court of Exchequer and Common Pleas, the Speaker and Crown L a w Officers. Three are persons of color, all of w h o m owe their appointment to Sir EVAN MAC GREGCR, the late governor. The justices also dispose of all petty offences at the Police Courts, and occasionally at their o w n h o u s e s . At St. John's, the offences of disorderly persons in the t o w n population, form the bulk of these minor cases. A t the country stations of Parham and English Harbour, nine-tenths of the cases decided come under certain Acts, w h i c h have been passed since the Abolition of Slavery, to enforce the observance, on the part of masters and servants, of their respective duties ; as the Contract Act, Malicious Injuries to Property Act, General Hiring Act, &c. &c. The administration of these important A c t s , has strong features of resemblance to that of the E n g l i s h Game L a w s , a few years since, by certain owners of game preserves. T h e complaints against employers are very few, and they are generally dismissed by the Magistrates. Complaints against the laborers are numerous ; they are rarely dismissed and are p u n ished with a severity disproportionate to the offences. The penalties usually imposed are, however, far more lenient, w h e n the M a g i s trates are highminded and wealthy proprietors, than w h e n the presiding Justice is an individual not immediately connected w i t h planting, but dependent on the Planters for professional income. W e are happy to add, that there has been a considerable decrease of cases of this kind since the commencement of the n e w system ; but it is doubtful whether these Police Courts will ever be equita ble and efficient until an independent Magistracy is appointed. There are individuals in the Colony, w h o for; moderate stipends would discharge the duties of Police Magistrates w i t h vigour and impartiality. ""rom the preceding statement it is evident, that the Local G o vernment of Antigua is an oligarchy composed of an exclusive class ; w h o s e private and personal interests are inseparably inter twined w i t h their public duty. Their legislation is essentially of a vicious character ; and their administration of the Laws still