, 1885-11-04

" tNS'tf NONAA W. AINA WIN
the last honorable speaker. Circumstan-
ces here made it imperative to adopt such
measures as proposed by the Minority. If
the guarantee be given-the Police and
Government must control that-that no
illegal sale be carried on, then he would
rather think that the Rum shopkeepers
would gladly avail themselves of a little
rest on Sundays. For his part he thought
that closing up the st. Croix Club.rooms on
Sundays would not be the worst thing that
could be done either.
3rd Member for Frederiksted's Country
District { Wilson, agreed with last honoura-
bic speaker. He thought the closing of
the shops would prove an efficaciOuS means
Of getting the labourers to attend Divine
Service in the Churches on Sundays.
2nd Member for FrederikstedS Country
District Heoitt was of the opinion that it
would just act in an opposite manner, for
having a good stock of liquor on hand for
Sunday use, they would hardly be sup
posed TO leave the bottle to go to town to
attend Divine Service.
2nd Member for Frederiksted's Town
District BrOrR stated that he fully agreed
with the honorable End Member tor Ere
deriksted's Country District and the hon
durable 2nd Member for CilriStianstedS
Town District that it would be an injustice
done the labouring class of the community.
II RumShopS be compelled by Law TO CLOSE
on Sundays and Holidays he could not SEQ
why Hotels and Club-ro0mS should not bo
included under the same category and BE-
closed. Why should one class of the com.
munity be debarred. the privilege Of getting
their drinks on Sundays when anOth er
class can indulge as freely and rs openly
as they please. 1t surely looks like making
laws for one half OF the community ana not
tor the other half. He for his part would
have no objection that Rlm>hops BE- closed
on Sundays, which is the proper thing
after all. The sale effected during I days
now, would take place in 6 and one day of
rest be afforded the RumShop keeper, but
with an augmented tax, as proposed, and
will no further protection from the lntru-
sion Of illegal traders than is at present
afforded the RumShop keepers he felt sulo
that they must $50 to the wal".
The amendment proposed by the Minority
was then put to the vote. a tie ensuing,
the Chairman give his casting vote III tt-
YOUR Of The MinOlity'S proposal.
The G0UerN0y stated that it had been
proposed by a Minority in the Committee
to allow soldiers access to the Rum shops.
The Government could however not agree
to that proposal, as experience had Sllewt
it to be very desirable not to allow them
such access. He would beg to point out
that soldiers had never had their superior's
permission to frequent the rumShopS, on
the contrary, it was strictly forbidden them
to do SO.
But then it ought also to be the rule
that rumShops should not be allowed to
counterfeit that military order by prOvid-
ing soldiers with rum ON the premises, for
else the soldiers were tempted to be diSobe-
1S,A H. AlA- - ,AaN ~ nT lao EARh
the present ordinance of 18th November
1875 came into force that rule was found
and it is still SO in ST. Thomas that Rum
shop keepers are fined if they sell Rum to
the soldiers ON the premises.
He had already stated i'll the Committee
tlat he thought THAI there was less drunken
ness in ST. Thomas than hele among the
soldiers, and he would 0 quote som @
figures that appeared to corrOborate his
views.
From January to 20,h September a. c.,
1870 puniShmentS for drunkenness had been
inflicted on soldiers of the LIST Company,
stationed here, a force Of 151 men. This
amount OF punishment is about SG0l Of
the men.
In st. Thomas, where there is a force OF
ST men stationed, the amount of punish
ments inflicted for drunkenness had only
been 80, which is about Al Q o of the men.
1t will be seen that the amO unit Of punish
ments for drunkenness durin e that period
is nearly double in st. Croix to what it is
- O. -o.I n nnnAH 20 - N Y