ANTIGUA.
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was in the weeding gang at nine-pence per diem (fourpence sterling.) He had been sick for a week, during which he received no pay, and was compelled by hun ger to take the yams to eat, and the cane-trash to boil them—fined one dollar to the estate. The manager advanced the treasury fee for him, and is to stop the amount from his wages. He acknowledged the defend ant was very attentive to his work. It appears evident to us, that, in this deplorable case, want was the ex citing cause of the offence. The penalty, if exacted, will be wrung from his bare means of existence.— 5 . Two girls charged with trespass—The case against one of them was not sustained, as she had not been warned off the property. The other was admonished .and dismissed, on payment of the usual fee to the trea sury. The complainant was directed to pay the same fee for the other case ; but this was not finally insistedon. Pie appeared surprised and dissatisfied, and said in an under tone, to the magistrate, that Mr. (his employer) expected the girl would have been fined five pounds.—6. Several other cases of cane breaking were disposed of in a similar manner to the preceding. One woman, with an infant in arms, was fined a dollar for having a single cane in her possession. The Super intendent of Police, who acted as clerk, told us that taking canes was a temptation the negros could scarce ly resist. They had been accustomed to do so from childhood ; and little notice was taken of it during slavery The preceding cases, besides others not affect ing the predial class, were disposed of summarily^ without cross examination. The culprits had no ad viser, and often could scarcely make themselves under stood. The fines in most cases appeared to us exces sive, bearing no proportion to the value of the pro-