3 SEPTEMBER 1927, Page 2

1926. The Governor, in describing in advance the effect of

the ordinance, said that it would remove " the last vestige of recognition in local law of the status of slavery." Sir Frederick Lugard, as reported in the Daily Mail of Tuesday, has just said that in his opinion 'it would be much better to redraft the ordinance than to appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court. The ordinance, he thinks, ought to make it clear that any slave can claim his freedom. There are objections, he says, to a decree of general emancipation because there are instances of old slaves who do not wish to be free, and whom it would be cruel to turn out to fend for themselves. We trust the amendment will be made as promptly as possible. What Sir Frederick Lugard did for Nigeria can certainly be done for the Protectorate of Sierra Leone.

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