, 1873-04-12

oppressive, often also for those who have not
endeavoured to avoid being elected. The
Committee therefore thinks, that the abolition
of the said enactment would rather create, in
stead of Iessening the inclination to partake in
the management of the affairs of the Commu-
nitv. But, on the other hand, we do not think
that it should necessarily follow, that a person
after having been elected and after taking his
seat in the Council, should be at liberty option
ally to withdraw. The privilege CT doing so, if
admitted, may-and indeed, past experience
proves that it viii be very often abused, to them
terruption of the Councils discussions and We
shall therefore here below Cad ! 34) propose a
clause to prevent that.
If the aforementioned paragraphs be omitted
in the Colonial Law, it would be a question
whether there ought, or ought not in the said
Law to be an express provision that no one is
bound to accept elections, 50 as thereby to place
it beyond a doubt that the hitherto existing OBJ
legation in that respect has been abolished
The paragraph which the Committee would pro-
pose instead of 81, where the obligation is
established,-and which should read as fol-
lows -
"The persons thus elected are Immediately
to be notified thereof in writing by the Chair
man of the Elective Board. If the person
elected does not within s days after the election,
provided be at the time is in the Municipality
WQor6 the eI6CJlO1 udS taken place., OIDofWlS6
within a period to he fixed by the Board in
each case, forward in writing to the Chairman
of the Board his refusal of accepting the cleo
ton, he shall be regarded as having accepted
it. When the election has thus been accepted,
d Letter of Election for him shall be drawn up
end forwarded to him. A report therefore in
writing is at the Same time to be given to the
Superior Authority. The letters of election to
be drawn up according to a form prescribed by
the Governor,
ought to have its place in the Ordinance on
Elections and from the omission of the Obliga-
ton in the Law, it will with sufficient certainty
be conceived, that it does not exist.
No. l5o The Committee therefore begs
leave here to propose
a, that 5 5 20-33 of the Draft be omitted,
b, that a new paragraph be added, as 5 81 of
following contents -
THE rules to be observed at elections shall
be fixed by an Ordinance"
0ho Order of the Paragraphs to be altered
accordingly.
1.-THE Council should consider it necessary,
there may be added the following additional
claus to 5 10, viz
"The hitherto existing obligation to accept
elections is hereby abolished"
ad s 81.
If the arrangement proposed in 5 &c for st.
Croix be carried into effect, so that the Colo
NAL Council as a rule will only meet in in pzeno
for a certain fixed period of the year, there will
be no necessity for Members that are not sit
ting in the Municipal Board to retire from their
seats as Members of the Council, when at other
times absent from the Island or in any other
manner prevented from acting but the ques-
ton will only be about absence during the SEES
sions. But absence from the island or other
hindrance, if lasting beyond a certain time,
must cause withdrawal from the Municipal
Board; and the period ought to be shorter
than that prescribed, 4 months ;-a proposal to
that effect will be made in the proper place.
The Committee therefore proposes:
No. 16. THAT the End section Of the S
be framed as follows -
"For the Municipality of st. Thomas with
st. John departure for a longer period than 4
months or other temporary hindrance which
lasts beyond this period, shall likewise cause
the withdrawal of the Member for st. Croix
absence from the Islands during the Sessions,
cfr. 5 sc, without leave of absence given by the
Council, shall cause the Withdrawal Of the
Members. .
AS already stated above Sub 5 5 20-30L the
Committee is of the opinion that Members who
have once taken their seats in the Council,
should not be at liberty to withdraw again sim
ply at their own pleasure the Committee there
fore proposes:
No. ~. THAT after The 2nd section OF the
s, there be added a new section Of the follow
ing contents
'No nerson having once taken his seat in the