Le 
ducing slaves into this Protectorate should be considered as 
trafficking in these slaves, for in practice this most frequently 
occurs, and though we are aware of this fact it is obviously 
most difficult to trace, follow up, and prove, as such traffickers 
have means of covering up their tracks and the purpose for 
which they enter this territory. Also to admit the slaves of 
such owners or masters would be to perpetuate a means of 
endangering or nullifying the very benefits of the abolition we 
recommend *’ 
Recommendations of Provincial Commissioners’ Conference. 
The Provincial Commissioners’ actual recommendations are as 
follows :— 
We have the following definite recommendations to make 
on which we are unanimous. (1) That slaves introduced into 
this Protectorate from Liberia or other foreign territory should, 
ipso facto, become free. (2) That domestic slavery should be 
abolished in this Protectorate, and that on a certain future 
late all domestic slaves in this Protectorate should be declared 
free and that a clean cut abolition, including prohibition of 
all future dealing in domestic slaves or enslaving of free 
persons, take effect from that date. 
“ We find after long discussion that we are not in agreement 
as to the date on which such abolition should come into force. 
The President of this Conference (Mr. Bowden) is of opinion 
that 1st January, 1925, should be the date, for the reason 
shat there has been considerable delay in dealing actively 
with this question, and as, presumably, legislation will not 
be retrospective the people and their social conditions will 
not in fact suffer as much as did those people in other West 
African colonies where such retrospective legislation was 
enacted. Mr. Ross and Mr. Hooker are of opinion that the 
date of abolition should be 1st January, 1929, for the reason 
that the people should have araple warning of the change 
contemplated, and that those affected may have opportunity 
to settle themselves on lands other than those of their present 
masters—should they so desire to do; that time should be 
afforded the political officers for inculcating the intended change 
nto the chiefs and people, and to enable such officers to weigh 
and consider the apparent effects and consequences emerging 
from the attitude of the people towards the proposed change. 
We are of opinion that these separate views should be recorded 
with our definite recommendations for the information of His 
Excellency the Governor.®’ 
Before I proceed to examine these drastic recommendations it 
will perhaps be worth while to consider what possible courses it 
s open to Government to adopt.