, 1870-12-20

not only producing the things and exporting
them in their raw state to foreign countries,
but also by improving them as much as possible.
AS with US it is considered profitable to the
community not to export our grain only as grain,
but also as flour, meat, pork, and in other i'm
proved ways, it might eventually be a pro6ta-
Bile business for the island of st. Croix to i'm
prove its sugar and export it in refined shape.
The old prohibition might probably have had
Its root in the GontemporaneOusly existing rela-
tons in the Mother Country, where the protec-
ton of the Sugar-reineries has been like a ten
der matter for the government for many and
many a year, so that it exists to date, if even
IN an essentially limited shape to what it was
formerly. And it is probably this protection
which will still prevent sugar r%etineries in St.
Croix from being compensating. Here is
another instance where We, by removing a re-
~strictiOn which there is no reasonable necessity
for maintaining, would probably be able to give
a valuable assistance to the Island.
This with regard to what is foundin the Law
proposal before us. | do not think, however,
that the Honorable Chairman has any objection
to the next law on the order of the day being
lnoIdentIy touched upon, as the two matters are
In, | may we'll say, an inseparable connection
with each other and, without entering upon
Specialities in that law, | must, however, re-
mark that all that is done for ST. Thomas and
st. John, all that is decided for those islands in
the next Iaw-prOpoSal is, that they shall not any
longer take q part in the expenses for the Cen
trai administration of the Colonies and that con
sequently they ecOnomize their share of 10, 900
Xix Dollars yearly, This, appears to me, how
ever, to be somewhat surprising for if there is
any OF the islands of which it can be promised
that it has a preferable claim on the care and
attention of the legislative authority, it is pre-
clSeIy st. Thomas, which has been cast to and
fro between North America and Denmark, in
such a manner that, in the literal meaning of
the word, it has not known whether it was
bought or sold and still nothing is done for St.
Thomas. We meet up with a place in the mo-
tiVes to the law intimating that a petition has
been forwarded from that island, which, how
ever, mast be made matter for more close deli
beration in the Colonial Council, before it can
be further entertained. There is in that respect
something Inconsistent here for although a pc
tition from the Colonial Council follows as
voucher to the present law-propOSaI for st.
CroIx, yet strictly speaking the Colonial COun-
ell has not been consulted, in the manner that
the Colonial Law of 27th November 1868 pro-
vides for; and, it is also perfectly juStifabIe that
no such application be made except under ex-
traOrdinary circumstances; but if this is the
case with St. Croix, then it appears to me, that
there is the same call in regard to the Island
of St. Thomas to act quickly and energetically
without delaying too much for interrogations to
the Colonial Council. If that address to which
| point, is the same that has been published in
the Westindia papers, then | can, for the rest,
well understand that the Ministry has a certain
difficulty in entering upon it; for not only are
its demands in reality screwed up too highly,
but it pains me to. be OBLIGED to say. that the