One who signed himself an "Old Planter" in the _Despatch_, before the abolition of the apprenticeship, in view of the emancipation of the non-praedials which was to take place on the first of August, gravely wrote as follows:-- "It is my intention, therefore, when the period arrives for any arrangement with them, to offer them in return for such services, _the same time as the praedials now have_, with of course the same allowances generally, putting out of the question, however, any relaxation from labor during the day, usually allowed field laborers, and understood as shell-blow--house people being considered at all times capable of enjoying that indulgence at their pleasure, besides the impossibility of their master submitting to such an inconvenience .-- This appears to me to be the only mode of arrangement that would be feasible, unless we resort to money wages, and I should regret to find that such a precedent was established in this instance, for it would only be a forerunner to similar demands at the coming period, when the praedials became free." There were more reasons than one why "money wages" were feared by the Jamaica planters.

A great many estates are managed by attorneys for absentee proprietors.

These gentlemen pocket certain commissions, for which reason they keep in cultivation estates which cannot possibly yield a profit under a system of paid labor.

They deem it for their interest to retain their occupation even at the expense of their employers.

Not a few conceive it for their interest to depreciate the value of property that they may purchase low, hence they deem it good policy to refuse wages, let the crops perish, and get up a panic.