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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TEL C.O.885

21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. LONDON

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suspected person under this Law, the Governor mày, in his discretion, grant compensation to such authorised person for such expense out of the General Revenue of the Colony, under the same conditions as those in which compensation may be made to a constable: provided that such expense he recommended by the Agricultural Society by which such person was authorised.”

2. In connexion with this provision of the Law, I transmit, for your perusal, a copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Jamaica Agricultural Society enclosing a memorandum giving opinions expressed by local branches of the Society in regard to the effect of such appointments of authorised persons in checking the prevalence of prædial larceny. It will be observed that in almost every case a favourable opinion is expressed.

3. The experience of these branch societies would appear to suggest that an effectual contribution has been made towards the handling of the problem of prædial larceny, which this Government will endeavour to develop and strengthen in this Island, and the principle of which it might perhaps be worth while for other West India Colonies to follow.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

The Right Honourable

Lewis Harcourt. M.P.,

{

• Your most obedient humble Servant,

Secretary of State for the Colonies.

SYDNEY OLIVIER,

Governor.

From the SECRETARY OF THE JAMAICA AGRICULTURAL. SOCIETY to the COLONIAL

SIR,

Enclosure.

SECRETARY.

(No. 3945.)

Jamaica Agricultural Society, 11, North Parade.

Kingston, Jamaica. October 20th, 1911. Re Authorised Persons and Prædial Larceny Law.

I am directed by the Board of Management of this Society, to forward, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, the enclosed memorandum quoting the opinions of some of the local branches of this Society as regards the appointment of authorised persons under the Prædial Larceny Law-Law 4 of 1909.

2. The Board expressed satisfaction that the appointment of these authorised persons appears to be effective in dealing with prædial larceny.

The Honourable the Colonial Secretary,

Kingston.

(Memorandum.)

A

I have, &c..

JNO. BARCLAY,

Secretary.

JAMAICA AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY,

Re Authorised Persons.

I have received the opinions of 40 branch Societies in reply to any communi- cation asking whether the appointment of authorised persons had, in their opinions. acted as a deterrent to prædial larceny, and whether pradial larceny had increased or decreased since the appointment of authorised persons in their districts.

With the exception of one branch these have all given decided replies in the affirmative. That one branch is " Castleton," which wrote as follows:-" That in

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the opinion of this branch, the appointment of authorised persons in this district is a failure, owing, no doubt, to the lack of proper instruction as to their duties."

I quote some of the replies in the affirmative:-

Glengoffe (St. Catherine).

Agreed that authorised persons were useful, and were acting as a deterrent to prædial thieves. The unanimous opinion of members was that prædial larceny this year had decreased.”

Southfield (St. Elizabeth).

"The appointment of authorised persons has been a success, for, although no arrest has been made in this way yet, the power of the men to make arrests acts greatly as a deterrent. It is a long time now since the Society has heard of a case of prædial larceny, which indicates the offence has greatly decreased.”

Nain (St. Elizabeth ).

"Prædial larceny, we are glad to report, has greatly decreased in this district since such appointments.

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In some districts not the slightest articles have been stolen for some time. Our men are a terror to evil-doers in some districts, and they are very vigilant."

•

Albany (St. Mary ).

Our authorised persons have only acted two or three times. The Branch thinks the chief cause of the decrease is the knowledge of the thieves that those persons who have been authorised are on the look-out for suspicious cases.'

Mt. Regale (St. Mary).

"

“The Branch is satisfied that the presence of special agricultural constables in the district has decreased prædial larceny.”

Guys Hill (St. Ann).

It is the opinion of this Branch that the appointment of authorised persons has been of some use in checking the crime of this district; only one arrest has been inade, and although the accused was acquitted the fact of there being such a man as an authorised person acts as a deterrent.”

..

S. Manchester.

Prædial larceny is really decreasing in the districts around, owing to the very good work of the authorised persons."

Cambridge (St. Andrew).

The authorised persons have acted as a deterrent to prædial larceny, as since their appointment has become known there are but few cases of prædial theft reported, and these from out-of-the-way places.”

Spaldings (Clarendon 1.

It was the unanimous opinion that the evil was not half as bad as it was previous to the appointment of such authorised persons. In fact, prædial larceny in and around Spaldings is practically unknown since January of this year."

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Smithrille (Clarendon 1.

It is the opinion of this Branch that the appointment of authorised persons under the Prædial Larceny Law has acted as a powerful deterrent to thieves in the district.'

Birnamwood (Portland 1.

It was the general opinion at our meeting that prædial larceny had decreased in this district since the appointinent of the authorised persons--not a single arrest requiring to be made."