The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-01

governments, IN 1885 they were again united with
brooke tried 10 restore General Legislature. but
iailed owing to the agitation CONSEQUENT gu ne
abolition OF slavery. The question was revived IN
1865 by SIR Benjamin Pine the Governor-in-C Chief,
ana the then Colonial secretary 1.-THE Duke OF Buck
InCham sanctioned schc ne FOR the general admin
siraIion OF the islands, Which, however did not IN
clude 4 General Legislature. The hangc OF Minis
try prevented the success OF tins scheme.
but the subject WAS taken up by his noble
friend Earl Granville and the present
bin, owing 70 sir = Pines energy and ability, was
the result Prior 10 800 each island had two legs-
lalive house on the British pattern. one nominated
and the other elected but tins arrangement was
very cumhrous one for small communities ana all
the Islands had adopted single assembly eacn,
which mad led 10 great administrative improve
ments The entire population or the islands was
10000 The Antigua Legislature had unanimously
approved the present scheme but IN ST. kits 1t had
eight elected members Of the Legislature opposing
It, but III the election which had since occurred lour
0 OF he mas SIX tne mm o et aei rso seats
cordance with pubnc opinion. In Nevis there
ha1 also been much opposition, and address
had been sent nome deprecating the scheme. IL was,
however, very small island, ana the largest landed
proprietor was a strong supporter or the project.
In the whole group forty-lour ogico and nomi-
mated members and sixteen elected members voted
In favor OF federation, while only eleven elected
members voted against il. The General Legislature
would be elected by the separate Legislatures and
three would be ca oG4c'o members while the Pres-
dent and six others would be nominated by the
Crown. Each island would have one nominated
member, while the ten elected members
and population. The legislature would
deal with the CURRENCY mercantile law. CRIMINAL
law the Post once ana other sub ects. The fedora.
ton was expected to prove very advantageous IN
point OF economy and administration, as also with
likely to attract the services OF higher class OF
men, as higher saiaries would be given than under
the present system. DIrllcuty OF communication,
the only objection which once prevailed to the
movement now going on all over the word TOR
the concentration OF small communities. no
III the bill empowering the Crown to add
the Windward Islands TO the federation If they
snoul desire to join 1t. 1t satisfactory to hnd
that the West India islands were AT length reviving
from their long mercantile depression Jamaica,
under the able administration OF Sir J. r. Grant
and under constitution adapted to It's wants, was
resumng the position to which Its fertility and re-
sources entitled IT, deficit having, during the last
was considerably improving, ST. Kits was pros
pering, Nevis was beginning TO revive. and he
minica. The noble Earl concluded by moving the
second reading OF the bill.
Earl that the opposition OF Nevis and 81. Kits
would not have justified the abandonment OF this
choice OF governors and public officers was very
difficult, and good administration was almost i'm
economy ana improved adminsiratIon. but he at.
tached more importance to the opportunity Of en-.
largcd commerce which it would otter. he trusted
federation. Hear, hear) The last few years,
he believed, had shown a marked improve.
ticularly IN those whose institutions were
more directly under the influence of crown
than in jamaica the political and financial dini-
cuties Of wnich long rendered II thorn in the size
OF Colonial Secretaries owing TO the change In It's
constitution and TO the ability ana vIgor of Sir
John Grant those difficulties gradually disap-
pearlng, aud deficit mad been turned into a sur
pius. fne establishment of an interco onal steamer
was essential TO the present measure and in the
correspondence between the Colonial ONCE and the
Treasury the publication OF which regretted, he
had been sorry to observe that the latter at first
gave an almost point blank refusal to the proposal
fhaf INN
from federation should be appliN TO this OBJECT.
The Colonial ONCE was obliged to threaten the
abandonment OF the scheme before the Treasury
would give way. The list of subjects within the
jurisdiction OF the general Legislature did not in
clude the regulation Oh trade and commerce, navi-
CATION or banking and he thought IL might be
wiser to follow the Canadian precedent and insert
also list OF subjects left to the local assemblies.
The central Legislature appeared also to have no
taxing powers though III the United states, Canada
and Switzerland certain Departments OF revenue
were reserved TO the central power This subject
often in his mind during his short tenure OF the
seals OF the Colonial ONCE. and he supported the
measure as one OF great immediate utility, and as
the germ, ne trusted OF still larger federation
(Hear hear.)
Lord LYvEDEN was glad to find that colonial
question OF long standing had been at length brought
70 settlement This matter had been before the
Colonial once for thirty years, he himself being in
that department with the noble earl at the table
(Russelp when Sir w. Cosebrooke. one OF the best
governors ever had, endeavored to unite these
communities. The failure OF that attempt was
not owing, as stated by the noble earl
enarres and eaouses Of the STANDS and nd but Tor
the energy and ability OF Sir b. Pine the same
causes would nave defeated the present scheme.
He should like see still larger federation ana
Was GLAD that powers had been taken for that pur
pose. With regard TO the intercolonia steamer, he
agreed with the noble Earl opposite tCarnarvon)
that the published correspondence between the
Colonial Ufce aud the Treasury was not Of credit
able character and was likely to create Ill blood I'm
the colonies. He congratulated the Colonial once
on the OF the scheme, and hoped the clause
relative TO the steamer would not excite objection
In the House Of commons
Earl GRANVILLE did not rise to defend the Treas
ury, but would point out that the two departments
had viewed the question from a different point OF
view. Sir X. Pine had shown great ability and had
rendered eminent public service IN bringing this
scheme to conclusion.
The Earl OF KIMBERLEY explained that the steamer
would be provided for five years at the imperial
expense, as far as the saving in the expenses
OF lieutenant governors would allow, which
was likely to cover the whole expense As
to the Treasury, it might sometimes appear to offer
needless opposition but the public interest would In
the long run seriously suffer were not all schemes
involving expenditure carefully considered. com.
mon treasury was originally included IN the scheme,
but TO this 1t was impossible 10 obtain the consent
OF the local Legislatures, and the remarks OF the
noble lord benlnd hun uLyvedenl showed the Wis
dow OF accepting what one could get, thus laying
che foundation for future improvements. He hoped
that Parliament would take the measure upon trust
for were 1t materially altered It's success would be
defeated or jeoDardized.
The bill WAS then read second time