, 1868-10-30

<. by II6 OON6THOT: SUD 1C6Il or expenditure
II. d s; The Militia and Fire Depart
ment: the amount of fixed salaries and in
deMnity to be reduced from 1856 to- $3.50.
the total amount of Item D s. (including
the increase SI14 adopted in the Money
BilD to be posted with ..-.-.....S LOG"
The Chairman referred to the Committee
report respecting the amendments proposed to
the Revenue of the Budget.
The Governor explained, that the amend
ment proposed by him to Item II. D.. S. was
occasioEed by the death of the Brandmajory
Frederiksted, in August last, the decrease in
the expenditure for this Item having been
effected confOrmably with the Royal Rescript
of the 23rd January 1843,-this expenditure,
formerly $500 p. a., for the 7 months Of the.
year would make S74. 663. On this account
the salaries and indemnity will be reduced from.
$3.50 to $5S2, while, however, the total expend~
ture for the Militia and Fire Department,-ac-
cording to the increase Of $I14 adopted by the
Council for attendance to the engines-will
amount TO-. LOG.
He would avail himself of this opportunity
to request the Councils consent, that: of the
Item of Expenditure D.. 9: "Salaries to Law
yerS in public suitS,' or, if required, from the
Item of expenditure E: "Uncertain Expenses"
be applied an amount of remuneration to those
persons beyond the class of lawyers, to whom
the charge of public suits are entrusted in spe-
cial cases on account of the want of lawyers,
which remuneration he considered may be fixed
at 50 pr. suit as has been allowed formerly in
the like cases.
AT the subsequent voting the amendment l.,
was unanimously adopted with Is votes. The
consent requested to pay an extra indemnity to
nOn-lawyers for attending to public law suits,
a SIS pr. suit was adopted without voting.
After several members had made some re-
marks with reference to the Budget and the
financial position in general
The LIST member for Christiansted'S town
(CIndinen) expressing his views respecting
the expediency Of an excise duty on the con
sumption of rum, provided the authorities
carry out the requisite control and that it did
not become a mere law on paper
The End member for Frederiksted's town
(Faber) pointing out the contradiction, which,
according to his opinion, was to be found in the
Commlttee-repOrt, where on the one hand is
stated, that the expenditure has increased year
after year, and that in case this continues it
will be impossible to reduce the taxation, and
on the other hand it is proposed, that an imme-
date reduction in the heavy taxation be intro
duced, consequent on the surplus accruing
during the last years; he stated as his opinion,
that 50 long as the Colonial Council is not able
to effect or promote an essential reduction in
the expenses of the administration, so long as
there was no Reserve-Fund and the Colonial
Treasury owing yet a considerable amount to the
Mothrrcountry's finances, besides which we
have long been wanting certain public buildings
fl Courthouses, and as the Item for pensions
will be gradually increasing, he considered it
not timely to propose a reduction in that re-
venue;
The End member for Frederiksted's country
district Knight touching on the pressing tax
alton and the necessity for the planters to effect