1 
diverted for some considerable time from that more intense 
agricultural activity which Government is now assiduously 
preaching ; 
(e) That the economic effects of emancipation may be to 
produce a ‘‘ landless ’ class, and so hamper rather than 
stimulate agricultural development. 
There is something to be said for course II. TI confess that 1 
find it difficult to resist the impression that clear instructions ought 
to have been issued to District Commissioners in 1903 that 
section 5 of Ordinance 6 of 1903* was to be strictly observed in 
the spirit as well as the letter : no doubt, however, there were good 
reasons why that course was not followed, and as for over 20 years 
Government has recognised slavery in Sierra Tieone by allowing 
its officers to inquire executively into complaints arising therefrom, 
a change of policy which was not backed by a change in the law 
would, I consider, place the political officers in an invidious position. 
The real choice lies, in my judgment, between maintaining the 
present policy and making a definite change in the law on the 
lines of course ITT or course IV. I have above outlined the case 
for maintaining the status quo, and in attempting to formulate the 
arguments for a definite change of policy it will be convenient to 
consider first the various arguments in favour of inaction. 
(a) While it is true that there has been no expression of local 
opinion outside the official class in favour of any change, the 
exception noted is important. I understand from the Provincial 
Commissioners that practically all the District Commissioners and 
Assistant District Commissioners (who it must be remembered 
come closely into contact with native affairs every day of their 
lives) are all in favour of the total abolition of slavery, if only for 
the reason that a large part of their time is wasted over the 
innumerable ‘‘ palavers »’ that arise therefrom. This may not be 
a lofty way of looking at the subject, but it is a reasonable point 
of view : a District Commissioner's work necessarily consists largely 
of settling tedious disputes, many of them of a trifling character, 
but the tedium must often border on exasperation when the officer 
has to bolster up a system which is totally repugnant to one of 
his most cherished traditions. With the law in its present state 
he has to do this in fairness to the masters. 
Moreover, though unofficial opinion has been strangely silent, 
the historical summary in the beginning of this despatch shows 
that my predecessor and Dr. Maxwell (the latter with a very 
long experience of Sierra Ieone) were emphatically opposed to the 
present system, and recent Secretaries of State, viz., Lord Milner 
and Mr. Winston Churchill. have agreed that some further steps 
shold he taken 
* Now section 4 of Cap. 169.