, 1881-03-23

10 the Council, 'Cnat IL uuIlnX .na'
time very little has been effected in
the direction of progress or improve
ment, where it might have been made,
this is explained by the simple fact,
that every improvement would neces-
sarily have required an expenditure,
and that the state OF the community
was such, in consequence OF the mis-
fortunes inflicted upon it, that it was
almost impossible even to find the
means for the ordinary requirements
of the colony" This was perfectly
true: our misfortunes had crippled US
to such a degree that 40 expenditure
could be allowedexcep tor whatmlght
be called daily wants. But he was sor-
ry that His Exceilency had forgotten
to mention one great Improvement
which had been made in connection
with the principal industry OF the is
land, and also that other greatimprove-
ment which had been made by the
abolition of the Iabour laws. In re-
gard to the first of these it might be a
matter of doubt whether the lnstitu-
ton referred to would prove profitable
to those who had invested their mo-
ney in it, but it is quite clear that the
part of the island where that lnstltu-
ton is working has improved greatly,
SO much so that while the eastern part
of the sugar district had for a long
time produced much less than the
western, it is now rapidly overtakIng
the latter section in productiveness,
and this year it is doubtful whether it
will not even surpass it, though the
east has had only a slight advantage
in regard to weather. With regard to
the otherimproyement, the abolition
of the labour laws, he would remark
that it vas now 20 years since the
Homo Government first sent out a
request that those laws should be
done away with as soon as possible.
Inst uctlons to the same purport were
given to Governor Bile, and again
to Governor Garde. The measure was
"a W ORRO0&N " u oAA0O4 SAN A~O~ SA~~
it would be ruinous to the island, and it
was the great merit of Governor Garde
that he had persuaded the planters to give
up their opposition n pass the measure.
On inquiry he had learnt fron many
gentlemen that the people work under the
new system as we'll as ever, and some say
even better. 1t is true that he had been
told we require a few immigrants, some
say 500, others 1000. On this he would
not now speak, but he would say that if an
immigration scheme is to be carried out
it could only be possible because the Ia
bour law was abolished. Formerly there
had been some immigration, but it had
been checked by the objections of other
governments. 1t would not be so now. and
he thought he could almost assure those
gentlemen who might be wiling at their
W Expense to procure immigrants that
no difficulty would now be laid in their way
by the governments OF those places f,Om
which they might desire to bring lmml-
grants. This then was one advantage
connected with the change. He would men
ton another. Denmark has always been
proud of standing in the first line of liberal
States, and if any help was to be given us
from the mother country the change refer
ed to was a necessary condition, and under
this consideration therefore we may be
thankful that it has taken place 1t may
however be sail, what is the use of putting
hope in the factory system or In new labour
conditio ns when the soil is exhausted. But
we have no cause to despair ON this point
either. He would show from figures that
since lS4S the agriculture Of the colony