, 1874-11-25

ROAA - w y . " bLuGH
it may Justly be objected against that proposal.
that up to now it is no more than a mere
suggestion or supposition, that those figures
represent the true relation of the yield. There.
iore' although not opposed to the Draft, he
mad not been able to forward it from that consi.
d~eratlon, besides which, the Government has
OF late been very much occupied with matters
connected with st. Croix, and only RECENTLY
had he got the idea of getting over the difficulty
IN the way he just mentioned. But the Gov.
ernment will further the matter as. soon AZ II
can be adjusted without injustice to the one
or other party. AS regards more directly the
question of a reduction of the taxes, the best
way in which to do that would be by doing
away with the Export-Duty, and the Govern
ment would be quite willing to do so, as soon
as the revenue theretrom. $50, 700 p. a., can be
dispensed with.-With reference to retrenoh
ment of the expenses Of the Island, the proposal
which the Government received from the
Presidency was to the effect that no alteration
OF great consequence could be undertaken.
The Presidency proposed that the Offices of
Collectors of Customs might be united with
the Treasurer's office and certainly this
would entail less expense but be did not
think it would be right to unite two offices
of sIch fiscal Importance and consideration.
We may divide the public officials into two
classes the one is where the officials are paid
not because there is any responsibility of q
pecuniary nature attached to the Office, but
because there is a great deal of work and
scientific knowledge required; the other where
the business of the Office is so that it does not
occupy all his time, but then the fiscal re-
sponsibility is so great that the official must
be allowed an ample pay for the pecuniary
responsibility. 70 this last kind the posts
of Collector and Treasurer belong. Then
again, it was thought that the Bookkeeper's
and Treasurer's Offices could be united but
here it must not be overlooked that there
is q guarantee to the Community by
the duly control exercised by the ono Of those
two officials with the other if they be united,
that control would be destroyed faults in
the acc, UNITS would not be so Q SLY perceived
and roctii9d in time, whereas now, it is almost
an lmpossibility that faults should escape no.
tic, aud It is a fact, that the Westindia Pub
lie Accounts have hitherto been considered
some of the most accurate accounts that come
to the Revlsor. 1t deserves to be noted, that
the saving Of a few hundred dollars here
and it could be but a few, as it would be-
necessary to grant some additional pay to the
official uniting both offices under him, and to
allow an additional Clerk, would scarcely be
equal to the danger to the public accounts
arising from the combination. Turning now
from these offices to others, we come firstly
to the Courts and the Polioe-D apartment. AS
regards, the Upper Court. it will be remem-
bered that opinions advised that it should con-
sist of 3 Members instead of one it was clear,
however, that that, would not be giving q
retrenchment, therefore those with whom the
idea originated were led to the other idea, that
two of the Members could have other offices,
for Instance as Members of the ordinary Courts;
but this does not seem to be any very fOrtu-
nate combination, as the same man who passed
a sentence in the ordinary Court could not sit,
in the Upper Court and pass sentence in the
same suit, when appealed. 1t was next sug-
gested to have the Upper Court consisting of
2 Members but there !: was objected that in
case Of difference Of opinion between them, the
vote Of the resident Of the Court must count
double. In regard to the Courts of Lower In
stance there has been question whether there
should be 3 Policemasters and 9 judges
whether Judge and Policemaster should be one,
or whether there should be l Policemaster, 3
Assistants, and 2 Judges. 10 this latter case,
the Assistants having m1re pow,r and differ
ent work, must of course receive more pay.
Now, in his opinion, il would be better to have
an Upper Court consisting Of several Members,
as is the case at home, and also to divide the
duties now under the Judge and P~olicemaster.
But if we were to carry out tho principle ad-