, 1881-03-30

otherwise than a particular consideration
shown to the people of these Islands, that
a native had again been appointed to the
highest local administrative office OF the
Island. He himself was born here,and the
former President in st. Thomas, AS a
child he was sent lone to q~ualify,himself for
official service but it was ony in mature
age he achieved official appointments,
and had no ground for feeling otherwise
than proud and happy that he had held
these appointments. He had now been
here 10 years besides many years at st.
Thomas he was therefore well known;
and fattered himself that it would be ac-
knowledged, that he had always lone his
best to facilitate business to all who had
applied to him; if he had deluded himself
in that respect, he was sure he was not
deluding himself in the CONSCIOUSNESS or
never having been wanting in the desire
to do so. He had always said to himself
You are here to benefit the community
and not vice versa. With this watch word
constantly before his eyes he would con-
tinue to act and see as far as conformable
with the laws and institutions OF the COun'
try that every facilities be given, ana
no obstruction be laid in the way OF a Tree
and, he hoped, lively development OF all
good faculties and of earnest and whole
some GUQodNOuIS. III udu SIlCNCo o. OH~
succession of misfortunes which had fallen
on the island, the series of 5 bad years,
the hurricane of 1876 and other readtul
calamities, calamities which the island
would not have been able to surpass but
for the liberal aid of the HOme Government
obtained by the great and indetatigabie
ey ertions of the Governor OF these
Islands who is now retiring from Office =
He could now inform the council that he
had lately received q letter from Ills
Excellency Governor Garde informing him
that he had on the 10Th last received a
communication that His Majesty had
graciously granted his petition OF ans
charge from 1st April next, and that Colo-
mel Arendrup had been appointed as MS
siiccessor.-It has been said from this
chair by his predecessor, when speaking
of the period of his administration in his
last address to the Council that if dur
ing that time very little has been effected
in the direction of progress or improve
ment where it might have been made, thlS
is explained by the simple fact that every
improvement would necessarily nave re-
quired an expenditure, and that the state
of the community was such, in consequence
of the misfortunes inhictedsupon 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 no expenditure could be allow
ed except for what might be called the
daily wants. But he was sorry that HIS
Excellency had forgotten to mention that
though we were crippled in our movements,
still we had, through the liberal assistance
of the Home Government and OF patrlOtlc
men at home through similar eXertlonS
on the part of His Excellency Gov
ernor Garde, made two improvements dur
ing the latter years, the one of which
affords a great deal of hope for the prlncl-
pal industry of the Island, and the other
of such a nature, that if it cannot remedy
the evil and bring up the Island, then
in his opinion nothing can do SO; he
meant the abolition of the LabOur Act
In regard to the first, the Central Factory,
an institution that had cost a great deal
of money, but to us very little, doubts may
be entertained whether the institution Will
be remunerative to those, principally at
home who have so very unlnterestedly
invested til cir money in it he had not
given up all hopes in that respect, But
it is quite clear to every one who is not
too shortsi GIFTED that the institution has
done a great deal of good here, that this
part of the Island where the Factory is in
operation has improved wonderfully, so
much so that while the eastern part OF
the sugar district has for a long time pro-
duced much less than the western, it is
now rapidly overtaking the latter IN pro
-.- - - 1Arb III