, 1869-06-15
ordinem at the request of His Ezcellency the

III CuIUO WCIO plCSoHU Will ChO oAOOP1
ton of the 1st member for Christiansted's coun-
try district (Christmas), who had reported alb
sence from illness, and the 4th crown-member
(Mendes) who was prevented by press of BUSH
ness.
The Chairman informed the Council, that on
account of urgent official business he would not
be able to remain during the whole meetlng;;
as he was DESTROYS of partaking in the discus
sions on the first case on the order OF the day,
and the Vice Chairman being absent, he re-
quested the Council to elect a member to act
as Vice Chairman to direct the proceedings.
By the Councils vote the 9Th crown-member
(Rahr) was elected Vice Chairman with 6 out
of 10 votes.
The Vice Chairman so elected took the Chair
mans seat.
According to the order of the day the Coun-
Gil proceeded to:
l, The LIST discussion Of a proposal for an Extra
Grant to the Budget for the financial year
1869 70 for the application of an amount Of
the Colonial Treasury's funds to lend to some
of the planters of the Island.
The proposal runs thus
"The Government is authorized to use an
amount not exceeding $1,000 Dollars of the
Colonial Treasury's money for advances to some
of the Planters in the Island, for Meal and
Money-Wages to their Laborers during the
months of June to December this year.
REMARKS.
The exceedingly depressed circumstances
wherein many of the Estates in the Island are
placed, partly owing to the great injury caused
by the calamities of 1867 and 1868 to works,
dwelling-houses and laborers-houses, and partly
to the small crop this year, together with the
continued extraordinary drought, which threatens
even the crop of next year, afford sufficient
cause to fear that under the sad effects of these
unfortunate circumstances on the Islands Gre
dit, many estate proprietors will be unable to
excape total ruin, and possibly even the cnlti-
walton OF several Sugar-eStates may be ADAM
dOned, unless some assistance be afforded by
the Public Chest in the form of advances to
defray the labOrer'S wages in cornmeal and in
money, until the commencement of next crop.
Although such advances from the communal
chest, which in times past were not unusual,
have been discontinued since 1861 because they
must in general be considered as being beyond
the scope of communal action, the Government
has, however, after having had a conference
with several of the Colonial Councils Members
and other experienced men in the Island, ar
rived at this conviction that the present extra
ordinary circumstances render it not only adj
visable in the interests Of the community. but
even Necessary in order to prevent an otherwise
not improbable want of the first articles of ne.
cessity for a great portion of the laboring popu-
lation, that the necessary aid be rendered from
the means of the Municipality.
During the said conference it was found ne
cessary to reckon on such assistance for the
months of June to December with about 1900
puncheons of Meal and an amount of money for
wages corresponding thereto, according to the
ordinary proportion; the total sum thus required
has been preparatorily reckoned to about
$4,000.
AS security for the advances it was under
stond that nrafarahla hnraan- rinht anrnaahla 70