The problem next reappears from a different angle. Towards 
the end of. 1921 the financial position of Sierra Leone became 
desperate, and in a despatch dated 18th October, 1921, Dr. Max- 
well, then acting as Governor, advocated that an attempt should be 
made to increase the wealth of the country; in the forefront of 
his concrete proposals to secure this object he recommended the 
abolition of domestic slavery. 
** The first and most important measure to be taken,” he 
wrote, *‘ is the abolition of domestic slavery. At first sight 
this is a political question ; it is also, however, a most Important 
economic one, and properly handled the results would be far- 
reaching and beneficial, though it would be some time before 
they took effect. It is unnecessary to elaborate the point that 
slave labour is wasteful labour. This has been proved re- 
peatedly in all parts of the world, and does not require to 
be dwelt on further. Slave raiding and slave dealing were 
abolished in 1896 when the administration of the Protectorate 
was begun and are now practically extinct. The law, however 
made it an offence for any person to harbour a slave who has 
left his master, and provided further that a slave might redeem 
himself and his family on payment of certain specified sums. 
These were wise provisions when administration was begun, 
but they have continued unchanged since, and children born 
in the Protectorate since British administration was begun 
have grown up to manhood and womanhood and have them- 
selves borne children, and may be required to redeem them- 
selves and their children. There is no security for property 
and consequently no inducement to work beyond what is abso- 
lutely necessary. Strictly speaking, a domestic slave can 
have no property of his or her own, and an unjust or covetous 
master can deprive him of the proceeds of his labour. Num- 
bers of these so-called domestics leave their villages or chief- 
doms and seek employment elsewhere; some enlist in the 
West African Regiment or the West African Frontier Force. 
They may save money, but should they after the lapse of 
Years return to their chiefdoms they can be required to redeem 
themselves and their children and so be deprived of what 
they have worked for. Those who fail to get regular employ- 
ment and are unwilling to return to their chiefdoms and to 
a state of slavery swell the ranks of thieves and rogues in the 
Colony and elsewhere. The persistence of domestic slavery 
causes manual labour to be looked down on, and increases the 
numbers, especially of the young, who are unwilling to work 
because they claim to be freeborn. In the opinion of some 
observers a large part of the population does not contribute to 
the production of wealth at all, but lives in idleness on the 
labour of the class of ¢ domestics.” The House Rule Ordin- 
ance which legalised a somewhat similar condition of things in