CHAPTER II.
TESTIMONY OF SPECIAL MAGISTRATES, POLICE OFFICERS, CLERGYMEN, AND MISSIONARIES.
Next in weight to the testimony of the planters is that of the special magistrates.

Being officially connected with the administration of the apprenticeship system, and tire adjudicators in all difficulties between master and servant, their views of the system and of the conduct of the different parties are entitled to special consideration.

Our interviews with this class of men were frequent during our stay in the island.

We found them uniformly ready to communicate information, and free to express their sentiments.
In Barbadoes there are seven special magistrates, presiding over as many districts, marked A, B, C, &c., which include the whole of the apprentice population, praedial and non-praedial.

These districts embrace an average of twelve thousand apprentices--some more and some less.