, 1884-01-09

vi NV NV ~ IN tO y GAO " -
immigration should be promoted.
The Chairman called to mind that the
topic of immigration is not on the Order of
Day.
1st Member for Frederiksted's Country
District LatimerI said he had not been in
the Council when the $500 we're granted
for the tow cl o>k; he thought there is
something wrong i'll the whole matter, and
it appears that Members who voted for
the repairs had not expected that the
work W ould be attended with such heavy
expenses as are now calculated by the
Government. 1t would seem, too, that the
Minister has a carte blanche TO spend any
amount on the town clock; but he
(Latimer) thought, that before proceeding
with the repairs, the estimate of what is
to be done and the costs should have been
laid before the Council. This tOwn clock
appeared to him to be nothing more than
an ornamental affair, a thing that is not
much required hence there was not so
much hurry needed in getting it repaired,
and there was at all events time enough to
follow the prescribed forms Of a grant, if
needed or requisite. 1t would have been
more in order beforehand to submit the
matter to the Councils vote; and it APP
peared that the Minister was more at
liberty on this matter than in regard to
Immigration,- this latter matter he
would have li&ed TO make some further re.
marks, but after the Chairman's remarks
he would abstain. But to return to the
Town Clock, it is of no general benefit at
all, and he could see no reason why such -
heavy : penSe should be made for a thing
not need cd the Old clock could have been
repaired ut a far less expense and would
have answered the purpose for a long time
to come, until such time as we had got
away from the heavy deficit on the Budget.
AS regards the comparison made by the
honorable 5vh CrOwnmember (Kalmerl be.
tween the town clock and the jetties in
Fredeyiksted, he Latimer) thought that
there is q vide difference between the two
things he did not know what service the
town clock was TO the community, az
everybody has a c lock or watch and can
do without the tim e from this town clock
but the %jetties are requisite for use in ex-
porting and importing, two things tlat
give the whole conn nifty support and the
Treasury its taxes. This tOWn clock is,
as already remarked, quite an ornamental
affair he could not see why there should
be transparent dialS, which cause of course
an additional expense;
2nd Member for Chr iStiansted (Lemmtn0)
felt it his duty as Cha rman of the Budget
Committee to say that he had certainly
not expected to hear Ian guage like that
which had just fallen from the LIST Member
for Frederiksted'S Country District. If
will be remembered, that the amount of
$500 for the repairs to the town clock
was voted under the Budget because at
the time it was not known, and it was i'm.
possible to get to know, what the costs of
the repairs would be; but it was voted by
the Council that the clock should be re-.
paired. We all know that this own
clock is the only one of its kind In the ISL
and, and when it is not i'll order, it is
quite impossible for people to get to know
the hour and to regulate thei + time and
work it is of very great use, not only to
one class but to all classes it is not every
body, but only some few, who own watches
and clocks; but the town clock is not so
much for such people, as it is for the la
bOuring classes, who if they had watches
could perhaps not use them, while they cam
hear the public clock when it strikes.
Then again, those who have watches, re-
quire something to regulate them by the
gun which used to be fired at certain
hours, had been done away with, and if
we had no Town Clock, the Public, the in
habitantS, and no one, would have any
thing to go by in regulating time for bu1
sineSS and work. This clock is therefore
really of benefit to the community, and it
is necessary that something be done to
keep it properly it is not for ornament,
bnt for use, and it does great service. AS
for the transparent dialS, they are of very
great use when it is dark with them the
hOur non Ina scan nt Oipht they have been