, 1875-12-25
THE WEST INDIAN IN LONDON.

Inc question OF q Clvll Service Tor the Wess
Indies is one that really presses for the consi-
deration of the Secretary Of State. There is
considerable dissatisfaction in all the colonies
at the present mode of filling up appointments
and the exclusion of the inhabitants of the
West Indies from their proper share of the
honOurs and 'emoluments of the service. Com
plants upon this subject are continually coming
home, and as there is a thoroughly able and
fair-minded statesman at the head of the Colo.
NAL Office, no better time could be selected
than the present for a movement in the matter
by those who are especially interested.
The Grenada Act eff%ecting a change in the
constitution has been published in the island
newspapers, and has recently formed the prin-
cipal subject of discussion in the local press.
The Act is an important step towards the es.
Enlistment of a good form of Government, and
the Assembly has displayed considerable pub
lie spirit in passing such a measure, But at
the same time the Act is defective in some
particulars. 1t either goes too far or not far
enough. 1t gives a preponderanoe neither to
the Government nor 10 the elective element +;
it places in the hands Of one member Of the
Assembly, supposing opinion upon a given
subject to be equally d. I'D between the
elected and nominated memRets . po~or
to obstruct business and cause a ado 10
legislation. And as to the executive CON. .4,-
tee-composed of henderson, the Assembly
to whom the Act proposes 70 entrust the real
government of the colony, it does not seem to
be a very feasible arrangement, for the Gov
ernor will continue to haVe.nO power, initia-
tive or executive but will .H simply dependent,
as heretofore, upon a majority of votes. The
Act, however, is likely to bring about a change
for The better, and, with a little alteration, will
probably show itself to be adapted to the
necessities of the colony.
The new Sugar Convention is not yet out of
the wood. y has not yet reached the clear
daylight of established fact. In reality, it's
most important stage has yet to be gone
through. The subject of its ratification ia
engaging the attention of the different Govern.
ments. In France the necessary project of
law has been reported upon fayourabIy by the
Commission of tho Assembly to which it bad
been referred. 1t may be stated here that the
French Government nave arrived at q kind Of
compromise with the %reiners upon the working
of the provisional law, but as this law lasts
only for another three months it is not necessa-
ry to deal in this column with the details of
this complicated arrangement, which requires
an extremely subtle mind TO perceive its bear
ing. There seems no reason to anticipate that
Belgium will do otherwise than ratify the Con.
fcublOIS L ucl0 is u SllUuS HOf6ul6nC III mat
country having for its object the entire repeal
of the sugar duties, which would of course be
the best means of annihilating bounties. In
Holland the Government are much troubled
with colonial questions, and may not be able
to push on the law for ratification so speedily
as they might, but there is no doubt of the
good intentions Of the Dutch Government.
Disappointment has so often occarred in past
years that it would be extremely rash to pre-.
dict a settlement Of the matter even with the
signs of progress that at present exist. Unfor-
~tunately, as soon as there seems a prospect of
the pernicious bounty system disappearing in
one quarter, it springs up in another. There
is a general complaint of the importation of
raw beetroot sugar from Austria into England,
enjoying a direct premium from the Govern
ment of that country. The only way to meet
this new danger is for the parties to the Con.
vention to agree to put a countervailing duty
upon all sugar imported into their respective
countries from any place where the bounty
system exists.
In these times of depression expenditure upon
public works in the colonies cannot be too
earnestly deprecated, but there is no ~inconsis-
teney in referring again to the proposed Jamai-
ca Railway as a scheme of great Importance
and urgent necessity. 1t is quite hopeless, of
course, to expect that the present Jamaica
Government will do anything in the matter.
When a Government declines to carry out q
distinct promise, publicly and formally given,
it is beyond the power of argument to, touch
it's reason, or annaaI ta awaken it's 0onacianfA.