, 1872-05-22
TIE AVIS"
Strialiaaa1ea, 81. graiz,
WEDNESDAY 22ND MAY 1879.

In the works of reform which have now been
carried on l@re for some timo, we have almost al
ways had to be in the opposition ranks not from
choice certainly, not from any desire to oppose
Government, but by the force of circumstances,
and, we must needs use tho now hacknoyed eX-
preston, ''tho historical development of facts"
We were in no public capacity at the time of
Governor Bille's arrival, but we were among those
who heartily welcomed him, and were ready to
rally round him, and to render our assistance,
trifling and perhaps contemplate as it may have
seemed in the eyes of many. But the conduct of
reforms has been apparently SO much at random,
so opposed to what the people were prepared to
expect and did look for the plans and schemes
have been so contrary to, or have fallen 50 much
short of, the express desires of tho largest portion
of the population, that only that portion whose
interests were directly served, that small
and, as a matter of consequence, decreasing mi
nority could favour OR e0untoIlinC6 them.
On our very entrance on the scene of action, tho
Military Bill was nearly matured it had not up
to that time encountered that opposition which
alone we could approve of it was looked upon by
many as q burthen and an evil, so oppressive, thatit
must be got rid of by all means, by others, among
whonr~e have always counted ourselves, as q
necessary evil which must be borne with as GOOD q
grace as possible, until something more economi-
cal and equally safe could be substituted, which
had not been done or even seriously attempted up
to that time. In School Matters we went heart
and soul with the Government, as long as there
was the least hope of seeing anything at all ac-
ceptable como out of the partial reform which had
been undertaken, although in principle we wero
and are against anything being done before the
whole could be taken up in q more systematic
manner. We were, of course, opposed to the
Mutual insurance Administration BILL and to
almost all the plans in what has been called the
" Reform-Factory's Hand Bill" the Budget.
But in no point have we had the people more with
US, than in the plan of the judiciary Reform.
We with them advocate and one
p~olicemaster for the whole island, his functions to
be separated from those of the judges. We re-
commend one such judge for the whole island.
We were, of course, gratiied, though not
surprised, to find four respectable Estate
Owners together with one of our ablost
lawyers recommending the same plan. The
Governments Candidates felt sure of the
idea being entirely crushed by the Planters, who
never in this world, so they thought, would be
willing to countenance such a proposal. The
surprise of those candidates must therefore have
been exceedingly great, and their chagrin very
keen indeed, when they saw i of the very men
they had reckoned on, proposing the measure
the thing took them so much unawares, it came
SO suddenly on them, that, at the moment, they
knew not what TOD OF Say. Mr.. Rosenstand
came in a sag 9fedicament; the planters were
his friends al he their friend they had placed
him there tf now he were to have downright
opposed t9 planters own bill, why, he would