, 1875-07-17
d. For various uncertain Expenses. $4,000.


O0O"A m0uuUSDGS IuGE6tQ .
a.. By the Committee:
letter b. to be entered as follows:
For procuring Rain GAUGES. e1on
B. By the Committees Major.
ity
letter @. Support to Cartv) to
20 0mtoi0u n : . : So. .$240
P. Money Bill For d~efraying expenses under
the Budget tor the Municipality of st. Croix
for the financial year from the 1st of Anril
1879 to the 3lst OF March 1876 is granted:
sab Item F.
For hire Of a Sailing Schooner as Maitland
Transport. Vessel between the Danish Westin.
da Islands, until Steam communication can be-
re-established, $1,000, the aIf....... $500.
No Amendments had been proposed.
The President conceded to the sub-amend-
ments b. C. and withdrew the original amend
ments to the Money Bill for uncertain
Expenses.
The Spokesman referred to the Report
concerning the sub amendments proposed by
the to Item E. 3. TO the Money
Bill to Item +. there was no amendment
proposed by the Committee, but there was
one remark brought forward in the Committee
Wnlch was no doubt made in behalf of a great
many among the public who of late complain
of the manner in which tho routes of the Mail
Schooner is regulated. The complaint is
this, that very often the packets arrive in
st. Thomas, and, because the Schooner can.
not go out of her ordinary routes, the Mails
are delayed several days in st. Thomas before
we can get them over, which is the case if,
for instance, the schooner leaves St. Thomas as
usual on Friday night and the packet arrives on
Saturday or Sunday, when the letters have to re-
main until the schooner returns on Monday and
leaves on Tuesday, so that the letters do not
arrive here before the following Wednesday
morning. But he, the Spokesman~and other
Members take a different view. NoW-a-days
there are 2 British, 2 German, | American
and Halifax Packets every .Nonth, and if all
parties interested in those packets, were to
be accommodated, the schooner might have
6 times a month to 60 out of her erdfnafe
routes to be on the spot in readiness to convey
the packets, consequently there would be no
regular %route~fOr the schooner. Most persons
are, however, interested in the British Packets.
and, OF course, it is rather unpleasant at times
to wait several days for packet letters that
are in st. Thomas; but at the same time
it was not possible to make other arrangements
than at present, as long as we have a sailing
schooner in use. 1t has been said that when
the Chief Government vas here the schooner
was always detained in St. Thomas whenever
the packets were expected that was certainly
so; but, then, it must be remembered that
at that time there were but two European
packets a month, and it was but reasonable
that the Government would have an interest in
coming to its official letters as soon as possible.
Ga the whole it appeared that the community
was best served by regular routes for the mail
schooner being observed always. AT that time
Whenever letters were sent to be posted op
passengers came from the Country at the Gus.
tomary hour, expecting to leave here with the
Schooner, it was often the case that the vessel
had left early in the morning to 20 for packet
letters SO that also had its Inconvenience.
At the same time, there might at such times
when several days must elapse after the arrival
of the steamer, and before the schooner can go
over and return, be made arrangements to M
a small craft to bring over the letters. especially
now when the telegraph could bring informa-
ton OF the steamers arrival and convey requesa
to hire a vessel for that purpose
The President: The honorable Spokesman
had spoken of all the packets and of the DELAYS
experienced in having the letters brought over
here, but had at same time admitted that the
complaints IN that respect were not lust. In
the former contract with the Mail Schooner
there was a clause providing that the schooner
should be at the Governments or the then
Presidency of St. Thomas disposal for a certain
period whenever the Steamer from Europe was
expected. This clause has not been renewed
in the present contract, and, therefore. the
Government has it not in its power to make
any deviations from the ordinary stimulated
r0ufns eYcent with Tho non,oo& cL