, 1875-12-29

statement~of his, the Governors. views as TO
how the matter now stands, what hopes, or
rather wha, doubts be entertained as to the
carrying out of the project, it had not been his
Intention to use that opportunity to bring for.
ward anything like a "threat" in order to induce
parties to support the plan We have been dis.
ousslng for the last two years his desire had
been to fulfil what he considered his duty.
namely to give the inhabitants the fullest in
formation he possessed on the question in all
its several bearings, and in that way to leave
it to everybody to consider for himself the con-
sequences When he had suggested the ne.
cessitK-oFWdoing away with the lab0ur regula-
IONS In case We should not succeed in chang
Mg the system on which the manufacture Of
our produce is at present carried on, it was
because he is convinced that would be i'm
possible, in that event, to keep up those Regu-
%lations; and the reason is, that whatever opin-
ion might be entertained about the LabOur ACT
being the best basis for the regulation of the
relations between employer and labourer, it
can not be denied that the Labour Act impos-
es on the Government and the Colonial Treasn-
ry the duty to see that the labourers-that
is the majority of the population of the
1sland-receive what the Labour- Regulations
guarantee them, and that this is the correct
view, appears to him to be very plain and
Gimple, because when the law prescribes
that a man must not take higher wages
than certain stipulated sums for his labour, then
the Authorities are also bound 10 see that the
labOurer gets what is due to him. Now, there
can be no doubt under the existing circumstan-
Ces, that if Central Factories should not be
carried out here, or if some other plan of a
similar kind be not introduced, the means will
not be forthcoming to meet the labourers'
wages hence, there would then be no other
way for the Government TO act in, than to do
away with the law prescribing those fixed
wages, entailing on the Public an obligation
which they are unable to fulfI-After these
Introductory remarks, he would now pass over
to the real object of his meeting with the
Colonial Council to-day be would do his
best in submitting all the information and
intelligence he possessed on the matter ia
question, and he would beg the honorable
Members to be assured that his sole intent is
now to give a statement of facts, as they are,
and thereby to call forth an earnest considera-
ton of the position as it is at present. When
he had ked the President to give tie informa-
ton con, yed some few weeks ago, it was
because lie felt convinced that even if the
Law to obtain aid from the Motbercountry in
the undertaking were to pass the Diet in the
form we would like to see it, still the most
essential point of the plan, namely the question
of securing the requisite means, was so badiv
Sltu2ted, on account OF tie monetary relations
in Denmark, in fact all over Europe, and be
may add in America too, that the prospects of
carrying the plan out just now were but slight
indeed. If we could form an idea as to how
long the present money crisis in these markets
could last; and when the ordinary state Of
affairs in that respect will again be established,
it might, perhaps, not be SO serious but, as
things are, it is difficult to see when q change
will come it might be a long time hence
before it comes and before all those relations
can return to their ordinary calm state, when
people will be willing and able to support an
undertaking as the one we have in hands now.
Subsequently, he received later Intelligence,
by the last European Mail, and they go to con-
firm what he had formerly been apprized offs
the monetary affairs are at present in such q
dificnlt state, that those parties on whom we
depend in the financial point for assistance in
carrying out the scheme met with great diff
culties. At the same time be had also receiV-
ed communication from the Minister of Finan-
ces, informing him that it is the intention of
The Home Government to introduce in the
Diet a Draft Of Law, instead of the one sub
mitted last year. authorizing the Minister of
Finances to support the scheme of Central
Factories in St. Croix ;-and be would beg to
read on English Translation Of the Draft as
laid before the Diet.
The Draft was read as follows: ~:
DRAFT
oF r o,, o.,y8o.;~soo y8s UT;,;stop nc E.a1nrss