, 1885-08-08
$4,000

End Member for Frederiksted'S Country
District (Hemitn said he would not vote
for this bill, he had intended also to vote
against the foregoing bill for Mililia-De-
partment, but as it is now passed, he
could not do so. He considered that the
time had now arrived when the towns
should repair their own streets aud public
places. Therefore he could not vote for
the amount proposed for that purpose III
this bill. In times past when the regula-
tions for the repairs Of the public high
ways in towns was made as 1t Is now, the
towns were otherwise situated; it was in the
time of slavery /; every thing for the main-
tenance of slaves was imported direct by
the slave owners, the estate owners since
slavery was abolished, the town traders
have received great privileges everything
has to be imported through them and
the towns are now on a footing or in a
position never dreamt of before. Since
1879, when the sharing Of allowance
was given up generally on estates, the
town traders got a further advantage, by
the exclusive supply to labourers. Hence,
the town people are certainly in a position
to keep their yards, their highways and
public places in repair for their own &C.
count. The houses too are generally bet
ter conditioned and all in rent the towns,
or at least Frederiksted, is over-crowded
and properties for rent are in demand
therefore also the value of them increased.
From these reasons he did not see why the
towns should not do for themselves the
same as the country districts do now. This
is why he objects to the expense.
The Governor: The honorable Member
for Frederikated's Country District (Hewitt)
had raised a question which, although it
at first might appear otherwise, in reality
has not much foundation. In the first
place it will be noticed that it is but a
very small sum after all, viz. $415, for re.
pairs of all the streets, sewers, bridges and
wells in both towns; and that is because
the only way in which that work can be
performed for that sum, is by using pri-
sOners to the work those prisoners have
to serve out penal servitude for offences
committed, and they are employed in that
way to pay the expenses, or some portion
thereof, for their maintenance in prison
this is a perfectly convenient and quite
warrantable method. Then again it must
be remembered that streets, sewers,
bridges and wells in the towns belong to
the Public and not to private parties,
hence they must be repaired by the Public;
NaHitOU ~ = GA pCCttu tHdG private pdIGIcS
shall pay for the work to public property
at all events private parties cannot be
compelled to do so except by law and for
that purpose alone to have TO pass a new
Ordinance altering the existing taxation
would hardly be worth while. He would
therefore beg to recommend to the Council
to grant the amount proposed.
End Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (Heoitt) begged to point out that
he had not said any thing against prison
ers being employed for the purposes named
by His Excellency /; but, still, if the pri-
soners were not SO used, for the benefit of
the towns, the prisoners could be self sup
porting He could not consider that the
wells, bridges etc in towns should be
more public, than the roads and other
similar accommodations in the country ;
there should be no destination ; If private
individuals are compelled 70 repair those