, 1872-03-02

gtrisiispstea. 81, gruix.
SATURDAY 2ND MARCH 1872.
His Excellency Governor BILLIE arrived
here yesterday forenoon at 9 o'clock from
st. Thomas by Schooner Petrol.


st. Thomas by Schooner Petrol.
The Draft of Budget for the Financial
Year le72-73 now before the Colonial
Council, a copy o. which has been kindly
lent us by q member, shows a total reve-
nue. of Sl69,33O, and q total expenditure
of Sl82,993, consequently an apparent de-
hciency OF S13,663, with the possibility of
this deficiency becoming larger, as some
items OF revenue, and more especially the
Export-Duty, will perhaps not yield the
returns calculated ON, AMI no doubt ex-
penses will be required III the course of
the year, tor which no provisions are now
made, for instance under the School-De-
partment, where we notice no provisions
made for the changes expected to be effect
ed under that department. After the APP
pearance of the Military Draft, there were
many who declared, that it was clear that
the financial status could not in any essen
tial degree be bettered for it stood to
reason, they argued, that when the salaries
to all the military officers were without
exception increased above the rates now
fixed, civil officials must also receive SINH
increase. We did not tail to notice a
IN luxury with respect to the staff
ulcers especially with regard to their
amber, mode Of appointment and pen
sioning, but it seemed that nobody had, up
to the last moment, been able to find any
better substitute or remedy for the heavy
outlay of more than $4,000, than a Militia
of the "burghers," when we have not even
been able to form an efficient BrandcorpS
out of the material at our disposal for the
formation of a Militia so that it seemed to
us, as to most of our fellow citizens and
taxpayers, the only thing that could be
done under the circumstances to accept the
burden with as good a grace as possible,
taking the Military Law as the best thingthat
could be had. But although we do not
put " retrenchment at all hazard on our
banner, weare too deeply impressed with the
Justice of the wish to see the axe applied
wherever and whenever it can be done not
only without any detriment, but, in the
opinion of the great ma ority, to the great
benefit of the common veal. Gloomy fore
bodings have for some time been rife
among us, and have, in a few cases, found
an expression in our columns, that undue
influences and undercurrents would be
brought to bear wherever possible, and
pessimists were laughing the so-called OPP
timists to scorn. The present Budget
with its mighty administrative apparatus
will strengthen their case. We shall to-day
confne ourselves to a few general remarks
on the contents of the Budget-Draft as far
as connected with the Bill for regulating
salaries etc. to the Superior Authorities,
submitted along with the Budget, for the
loan of which we are likewise Indebted to
the honorable Member. These Drafts pro-
vide that on the PRONUNCIATION of a Royal
enactment for the removal of the seat OF
Government to St. Thomas, the Governor
OF the three Danish Westindia Islands shall
receive from St. Thomas Colonial Treasury
q yearly salary etc. of $4,000; from the
same epoch the chief local administra-
ton of st. Croix is to be committed to
a President, who will also be Vicegovernor