, 1872-07-06

too susceptible to the arguments Of such
councillors who from different motives
wished 10 uphold and continue the statu quo,
aud if possible increase the salaries to the
officials; and you might hear the opinion
expressed over AMI over again that it
was a misfortune for the island that Gov
ernor Bi lie had come here in one of the
best years we have ever been favored with, j..
and met, besides, a good caSl,-baIance in
our treasury A circums' ance that contri-
buted to increase the aforementioned bad
impression, was the Draft of Ordi ance for
regulating the Salary etc. of the Superior
Administration, in which, in the large sums
fixed for salary a"d table money to the
President, it was plainly traceable that
every thing was intended, as far as posi-
bic, to remain.in the old track.
We were here offered an inferior, but
nevertheless more costly administration.
In 50 tar as the Colonial Council, both dur
ing the discussions on the Bud2et and those
on this Draft, have advocated r4trench.
mentS and reduction, it las encountered
great resistance, aud nowhere has this been
more conspicuous than in the discussions
on the Pfesidents salary and fable-money.
1t will be remembered that the Committee
Majority proposed that the Presidents saIa-
ry should not be higher than $4,000, in
anoIo4y with the former Presidents salary
IN st. Thomas, aud that the table money
should be dropped This proposal was
adopted at the second discussion with 8
votes against 4, but it is said the greatest
endeavours are being made to undo this
vote, although Governor Billie declared at
the 2nd Discussion that Government would
at the third discussion only propose such
changes as are necessary to bring the Ordi-
nance in keeping with the form in which
1t has passed the st. Thomas Council. The
opinion OF the Majority has, no doubt, been
to express the desirablIity of obtaining a
Superior Authority as little dependent on
st. Thomas as possible, but without un-
necessary eXtravagance, which does not
suit the present state of 0 r resources : q
man who will devote his time and energy
to the work before him in the interest of
the community, which has nothing to do
with taDIe-mou2y, representation and such
like ret1oc ions OF former grandeur. That,
IN spite OF the very decided public opinion,
great resistance Is made when this an 9th
er reductions are Oh the order of the day, is
easily accounted tor without having re-
course to such arguments as that our credit
would suffer thereby,-that the Superior
Authority would cease to be such without
the representation etc. The pretext which
IS heard from the same quarter that a GER
tam exterior sp endor Is necessary to the
maintenance Of the dignity q. the President,
appears to us ludicrous; ana it is probably
to avoid this objection tn It many have pre-
ferred a Secretary We have been among
those who preferred a Secretary, although
from different motives, which we have set
forth on previous occasions, but we are, of
course, perfectly aware that this plan is i'm
practicable without a steady aud regular
communication by steamer, the prospect of
which appears rather slant, and ppcer-
tain and indeed people have no great
faith in a constant steam-communication as