, 1882-07-19

tICll AlUm lle uGlVudl(lS VI an dSIlCu'lU-
raj district III China-sO use his W
words " where a labourpr does thrice
the days work of a lab0urer here and gets
from five to ten cents for a days wages"
We were OH the eve of concluding with
this Captain, when we received through
His Honor the President Il Government
communication that five years contracts
could, according to existing laws not be
entered into with binding power and that
there is no probability that the Minister OF
Finances would sanction i Draft OF Ordl-
nance to this eff,ct, which was petitiOned
for to be laid before the Council.
a few owners of estates may be able to
import Their own requirement of immi-
grants, but not a wh0'e cargo at y time,-
nor could any eState-OWner be expected to
import immigrants at Il high cost and
solely at his owa expense knowing that he
would have their service for one year only.
Hence the tendency would appear to be,
that We shall have no immigration, and
ii at this Island may, like ST. Thomas
and St. Johns, be destined to go out of
cultivation
In laying the present paper before the
Honorable Colonial Council, we hope and
pray that the Council may be able to in
duce the Minister of Finances to %recOnSi-
der the resolutions he appears to have
come to, and That the immigration tax
may remain intact for immigration pur-
pOSeS-and that the 5 years contract with
imported immigrants be made legal.
Most respectfully
St. Croix 3Oth June 1882.
W. H. HEYLIGER, T. COULTER,
j. w. WILLARD, +. RAPHAEL.
The Chairman said he would propose
that the matter be subjected to one dis
o,ariD, o,J ,vo,,1J Dn,,C;1o, +Ii, vNDO,,
tacitly adopted.
The President said he had communicated
with the Government Of the Danish@Wes
India Islands on this matter, and had for
wurded a copy of the memorial, request
ing the Government to instruct him what
to state on their behalf in reference to the
memorial; he had subsequently received
a communication dated 9TH July from the
Government, which he would now read III
English translation as follows =
Referring to the PreSidency's enquiry
i'll letter of 9th inst. concerning the even
tual discussions in the Colonial Council
of an application to some ON immigration
matters, the following is stated:
L preliminaIily communicated in Gov
ernment's letter Of Goth l.. IN. No. 1910 the
Government intends to lay anew before
the Minister Of Finances the question con
CPIllll1 INNING tdllOll To Ot. OGOi& DN DuDllC
measures, in conformity with the existing
laws, and also concerning employing the
Immigratiou-taX for such purposes; Il re-
presentation to this effect will be forwa d.
ed home by next mail.
AS however the Government under the
circumstances, and after having ben made
acquainted with the application to the
Council, considers it of mOment, that a full
understanding between the Colonial COun-
ell and the planters and the Admin ira
ton be If possible attained, il is my wish
to have a discussion on this matter in he
Council. The Presidency is therefore
requested to communicate the above to
the Council and to canse the discussions
on said application to be postponed until
a later meeting, at which | expect to be
able to appear in the course OF the latter
half of the pre- 'ent month"
In accordance Herewith he 1.-THE Presi-
dent) requested that the discussions he
postponed till he latter part of this
month
list Member for Christiansted (WjLJardJ
said, the petitioners would not for one
moment attempt to press the matter, or
to ask for any discussion on it to-day;
at the same time he would beg leave to
say, that the poStponement Of those dis
cusSiOnS 34 weeks hence would bring the
matter again before the Council at a
time when some of those parties who
are most interested in the matter will
be unable to partake in the discus
SiOnS, as they will before then nave
loft %1o Trlo,,I. oo,o. ~