, 1872-03-06

the cost of the Administration will not increase
l cent. Every thing then points towards i'm
provements and extension of the production,
along with all possible reduction ofthe expenses,
as the only means Of making the financial posi-
ton of this Island stable aud favourable.
Fleming commented on the possibility of q
Surplus-iuud not being on hand in time to come
and alluded to tho difference between the ex-
p0rt-duty here and that of other Islands, for in
stance Antigua where it is SIT down at $4,000
far a crop of10 eco hogsheads. Ifn0w the $4,000
alluded to by His Excellency were to be colleo-
ted from Export-Duty, that impost would be
increased and he would be very sorry to see
that.-Goreyn0r Bile explained, that be started
from the SAL, 900 income from tho Export-Dutv
as a mere hypothesis that taking it for granted
all other taxes would give Si36, 900. then that
sum would b3 required to be gained from Export
Duty, SO as to meet the total expenditure; it is
mere calculation and has no bearing on tho
real state, MS the export-duty is based upon a
Law, and the returns must Of course depend on
the production and the price.-Rosenstana .llud-
ed to a remark from His Excelleucy the Gov
ernor about the budg of 187l-72 being a nor
aI-budgat; the present budget would much
rather have been considered normal, as it in q
way should have constituted our future financial
position. His Excclency had given q state
ment of the expenses that we must
necessarily have, and had pointed out the
resources we have for covering them and in respect
to this Budget his words were very promising, as thew
woulI sheW that the present system Of Taxation could
Weld the requisite amount bnt the fact is that that
system of taxation does not at present rive that sum
and It is too great a risk to put down a certain amount
of expenditure, without showing with the requisite de-
gree of certainty how the revenue to cover i is 10 be-
got. The EXPort-duty depends on the crops and this
year, at least, 1t is any thing but good, Hence, he would
not consider it prudent to adopt a budget with a de-
felt, without the possibility Of having clear means to
cover it. The one question is if the expenses could
not b less, and again if the income could not be pro-
yIded with greater certainty. 70 reckon on an ju-
crease OF duty on the sugar-crOp5, would be so much
against what has been said here in the Council, that
we could set ourselves to rest as to that. 1t is not exactly
his opinion that the export-duty should be the 6r<t
tax remodelied for he thinks it is a very LIGHT and
fair taxation and IN other lands where the export.
duty is low, there are other taxes, such as excise on,
rum, incone-taX But if there was question of abol-
ishing any tax, public opinion pointed out that
duty as the very first one. There is no
use to conceal that this Budget has been received
with great disappointment in the community
and this Council 1t was expected that this bud
get wou'd have shewn how the revenue and ex-
%pendlture were het eater to maet.-At iris frst
discussion he could not enter into details bus
he would make a general remark tn It i: w}u.tI.
of course be unwise to discharge officials as long
as they can work. with the surety of having in.
creased pensions, almost to the amount of sa a.
ries saved; but it wonld certainly have been.
better to lay the whole plan Of future reductions
before thu Councillor such plan must have
been formed by His Excollency-sl that the
Council could see the whole at ouce that Plan
could contain the provision that the changes
shall only be effected on vacancies. Then
again there are the extensive building operations;
the proposed alterations are of course wanted,
and have been wanted for many years bur they
oould very we'll be lett for / year mote so d
be much wiser to lay them aide uus "a ave
the revenue necessary TO provide FOR i ant
to draw $4,000 from tn, O1,9ni.i 4'rsar7
chiefly for building projects would not be very
proper. He proposed e Committee to
report on the Draft. FarreUy seconded
Faber agreed with Rosenstand, and added
that the general impression of this Budget on the
minds of the public is of a very melancholy nature