, 1870-12-23

of January and February 1871.
REMARKS.
According to the additional Grant to the Bud.
get for l87O-7I, adopted by the Colonial Coun-
Gil on the goth Jnne last and sanctioned by His
Majesty the King on the 10th August, the Gov
eminent was authorised to use an amount not
exceeding 49, 900 Dollars of the Colonial Trea-
sury's money for advances to some of the plan
tiers of the Island for Meal and Money-Wages
to the Laborers for the months from June to
December, which amount has been subsequent
ly applied for said purpose conformably with
the Grant and subject to the existing rules and
regulations for Bureau Advances. 1t was sup
posed that the planters in question would not
require aid after the month of December, be-
cause it was taken for granted, that they would
be able after that time to raise the necessary
means from the sale Of the crop commenced
then. This suppositiOn has, however, failed, as
the crop cannot be commenced before l or 2
months without sacrifice. On this account the
planters concerned which have received Bureau
Advances during the last months have on the
3rd instant petitioned the Government-the Pc
tition is laid on the Councils table-to allow
the advances to be continued for 2 months Ion
ger, and as the Government must admit that
the same reasons that existed from the COM
mencement for granting Bureau Advances this
year speak equally in favor Of extending them
to the LIST Of March, the present Draft is laid
before the Council. The amount required is
about S12, 900 more exactly $11,7 99, 56cts.-
and can without difficulty be betrayed from the
Colonial Treasury's Cash on hand. In as far
as the petition furthel more mentions an extern
sion of the time for repayment fixed at present
(the LIST February, 1st March and 1st April
1871, each date dsOf the amount due,) it is here
by proposed, that the same authorization vested
by the Colonial Council in the Government last
year may be given this year, according to which
the Government may grant each individual Bu-
reau-D Debtor such delay as may be considered
advisable with due regard to the Colonial Urea
sury's security, without, however, determining
any fixed date for payment of instruments &ca.
The petition of the 21st ulto from the respec-
tive planters to the Government,-which had
been Iying on the Councils table-to allow the
Bureau Advances TO be continued till the LIST
March 1871 and delay in the payments, was
read.
The Chairman stated, that the Vice Govern
or had requested him to inform the Council,
that the $12, 900 in question can be betrayed
from the Colonial Treasury, the amount of Cash
up to the list January 1871 having been calcu-
lated at $4,000, not including the means depo-
sited by the Dealingcourts. AS regards the
Cornmeal required, the quantity being but small,
the Vice Governor was of the opinion, that this
was not a matter for licitation, as it has been
ascertained, on inquiry, that the present con-
tractor was willing to furnish the meal at about
the same price as the present one.
No member demanding the word the 1st dis
cussion was closed, the Chairman observing,
that the End discussion may be had to-day,
should z of the members, according to the Rules
of Business, desire it.