, 1885-10-28

siOn's draft, is that which provides that
there must be a suitable room OH the
estate where children under 6 years Of
age can be sent while their mothers are at
work. If the mothers are to work, which
is frequently necessary, then it is needful
that some provision should be made for
the care Of the young children. The
island will never have a full supply Of la
bOurers if the mortality is not sought check.
ed. 1t is for that very reason that it is
enacted in ) 80 that a labOurer's wages can
be SequeStered for what is due for cOntribu-
tion towards support ofchildren or deserted
or separated wives.
The latter part of the Draft treats of
contracts with immigrants from foreign
places outside the West Indies. Such con-
tracts may be made for 5 years, but after
the lapse of l year the contracting party
may, by %refunding to the employer a pro
p0rti0nate part of the advances, be at
liberty to leave his employ. With regard
to labOurers from other West Indian Is
lands, it is considered right to put them
on the same footing as other labOurrrs
in the island. He would beg to recon-
mend the Draft to honorable members.
Bird Member for FredtrikSted's Country
District 1T. Wilson, thought that it would
be putting Il new and heavy taxation on
the planters if the present Draft becomes
law. The great question if the labourers
would be benefited thereby, he doubted.
On the whole it would be productive Of
great discomfort AS it is now, where
monthly contracts are entered into and the
contracting labourrrS secured medical aid,
there exists very often a scarcity Of la,
b%ourers. If the opinion Of the labourers
could be gained it wouId be seen that on
the whole the system OF monthly contract
labOur is obnoxious to them and they
would prefer being employed by the week
or even ~ hours at a time than have
medical aid with a longer contract. The
present Draft of Ordinance will therefore
not be appreciated by the people. On the
whole neither the employers nor the Ia
bourers would gain much by the Contem.
plated change.
He would therefore recommend that the
discussion ON the Draft be postponed a
little longer at all events, as the position
of ST. CrOiX is vastly different and the
prospects poorer to-day than it was ,
years ago when the Commission sat i'll
order to frame the new Draft. He thought
that with an additional salary, the public
physicians might attend to the estate Ia.
b0urerS.
The Governor did not think that the
h0nOurable member took a right view Of
the matter. Estates have all along been
obliged to furnish me lical aid to all those
labourerS who were under contract. In
the present Draft the same is stated. only
in a more distinct way. The spirit Of the
old law is more liberal than the present
one. The Public Treasury cannot give
free medical aid to IL whole population, as
proposed by the honorable member, other
wise new taxation must take place. No
single island, at least in the West Indies,
is without such obligation on the part of
the employers to their employees. True
enough, that the prospects are poor for
next year, and planters may justly be dis
appointed, but one poor year would not
ruin Sta. Cruz, so whether the prospects
are good or bad, whether there be crop or
10 crop, the labOur force must be kept up.
Good reforms should not be abandoned on
account Of poor prospects or present de-
preston.
End Member for Frederiksted'S Country
District (HeCit) thought that the Govern
ment had let the opportunity pass, by
which the labOur conditions OF the islands
would have been bettered. The present
Draft would presumably suit our grand
fathers, but not the present genera.
ton. Should the Draft become law, he
was afraid that too many police suits
would arise from a miSconStructiOn OF its
intricaCieS. One would continually be