, 1885-03-14
P R @ C L E D [ N GS
OF THE
g0ODGU2
FOB ST. CROIX.
Continuation Of Meeting Of End March 1880

N'AN = - - S"AA ~
Budget il is not very pleasant to speak
much concerning it, when we see the cir
cumStanccs as they are now, when the
Income Side shews a total revenue OF
$146,253 but to which may, however, safe
~ be added 10000 as increase in Export
Duty, now put down at Sl8,5OO, arising
from the rise of sugar prices, or III that
way a Total Revenue Of $3.50, 253, but a
Total Expenditure Of $252, COO. Before
proceeding further, he would beg to say
that he was glad to see on the Revenue
Side the Direct Taxes posted III a better
manner, in the way he had always pointed
out, namely with the sums really supposed
to be collected, and nothing more. Even
if we, from the total Expenditure, deduct
the sum to provide for the responsibility
on behalf of the 81. Croiy Central Factory,
still the Total Expenditure would be c.
9207, 900. which means Il deficit Ofc. $4,000.
While i'll former years we might have had
means to defray a part of the Military
Expenses, say about $4,000 of that item,
this year there will not be more, he sup
posed, than 81 800. This must more forci-
bly, than ever prove that it is utterly i'm
possible for this Community to pay $52,781
or about Ia of the total revenue, for Mill.
tary Expenses. AS at present, and for
some time to come, there is no remedy,
owing to the stand still at Home in the
lawgiving power, and hence there can be
now no prospects OF the possibility of ar.
irving at a better result we must only
hope that the time is not far off, when
a change may be obtained. Before con
cluding his remarks on the Revenue Side
he would beg to call attention to the re-
mark adj G.. =, Revenues from the Prison
Department, where it is stated ''at the
uorn, ,hN1,oly, ,o4 &c "a -. a. n, +InrN
cannot be reckoned on any greater sale
of poudrette, it would not be advisable to
put the revenue of this item higher than
in 1883, say 81 900" He supposed honoura,
bic Members will remember that during
the discussions on the Budget last year,
the Council was given q deal Of eYplanA-
lions i'll connection with this matter, and
among others this, that a great deal of
labOur had been eT pended in putting land
belonging to the Public in guinea grass
and in canes; he supposed that these canes
were now ripe to be cut and it appeared
to him in that case to be right to include
the revenue from the sale Of such canes
among the items under this head. In the
remarks there are no data to 60 by; but
last year the total revenue here was
put down at $4,000, without that item of
cane-revenue; but it appeared therefore
that the amount Ill the Draft might be in.
creased. In turning now to the EXpendi-
ture Side, lie came first to the Item b. l,
the Government Secretary's Office an
amount of $3.50, or $50 more than last
year. 1t Will be remembered that last
year the Government put in an amendment
calculating that for these Office expenses
there would be required $1,000, of which
sum S1,34S namely $l12-333cts. per month
were for writer's and a messenger and $3.50
for stationery and books. He should say
that in years like the present with such
poor financial prospects before us, it does
not appear quite in order to propose
this increase, particularly so soon after
the item had been regulated pursuant
to an Ordinance. At all events there
should have been furnished a statement
as to how the amount so proposed is in
tended to De used; but no such statement
Is given in the remarks to the bill. In
those remarks a mistake or misprint has
occurred, when mention is made of "Mes-
sengers"; to his knowledge there is but
one messenger employed, who is in receipt
of 81 per month. Under ID. 2 the Judi
clary and Police Department we find the
amount for Office Expenses for the Judge
etc. increased with $3.50 compared with
last year, and in the remarks the cause of
this is stated to be that "the extent of tue
business OF the office has been so consider.
ably increased, that it has proved impos-
~11~