Slavery in Malabar

IN the High Court of Madras two judges have differed as regards the punishment of an individual who purchased a labourer for Rs. 10 and resold him to a third party. One authority holds the view that the transaction is supported by local custom but the other considers that the matter comes within section 370 of the I.P.C. and has to be leniently dealt with in view of the local custom. The question has been referred to a third judge, but apart from this extraordinary incident, it is well to invite public attention to the necessity of holding a thorough examination of the prevalence of labour oppression in various forms and degrees from the Himalayas to the Cape Comorin.