, 1885-07-15

1913, 800; or q gross total value of our pro-
duce $544,35O. Now, out Of that value the
Government takes 3252, $50; when at the
same time it he remembered what it costs
to raise that value, he could not see how
we can go on much longer in that manner.
The question of meeting the yearly deficit
on the Colonial Treasury's budget has
been deferred from year to year; but it
must end some time and we all know that
the Island has no means of its own to meet
that amount; for after the Government has
taken it's part of the value, there remains
but 1921 900 to grow and manufacture the
produce, besides supporting the inhabi-
tants. We have of late been fortunate in
having good years, with large crops if we
get unfavourable years, there will he a
wonderful collapse in this Island cultiva.
tion could not be continued, and there
would be a general breakdown. Years
like those in 1929 and thereabout, may
come again, when no revenue can be had
at all.
The Governor said the last honorable
Speaker (Hewitt) had asked for informa-
ton or explanation on a matter in which
he, the Governor, was under the impress
sion that he had given the Council, latest
in it's last meeting, as explicit a statement
as possible, particularly the result to which
the considerations at home had arrived III
regard to the financial position of the Co.
lonies here and st. Croix especially. The
result was, then, that by the financial or
ganisation established by the Colonial Law
of 1868 there was imposed on the Island
heavier burthens than its financial resour-
es can meet and he had on the occasion
named, also stated what measures the
Home Government had been led to pro-
pose in order to get a balance on the
Budgets. If st. CroiX be relieved of the
Military Expenses, including pensions
under that department., as was proposed,
and which it is the intention of the Home
Government to endeav0ur to carry out as
soon as it can be done and if at the same
time provisions be made for settling
the debt owed by the Treasury to the
MOther.country, then there would re-
main, as far as he at the moment
could remember, about $15O, 900, or
perhaps a little more, as the yearly eX-
pense of the Municipality. AS regards
the means to cover that annual expense,
the three ordinary sources of revenue
would still continue to exist; for the years
1867 to 1928, or during a period of
Is years, those items of revenue had on
the average yielded about $166, 900; for
the last 5 years the average had been
6OmcWudO HlSHcI 4uo tributary ION0uuo
of the Island would then, taking bad as
we'll as good years, under ordinary cir
cumstances yield from 100000 to $4,000
y. a without imposing any higher rate
of taxation than now on the inhabitants;
and it is we'll known that although plant.
ers here have had hard times to contend
with, still they have hitherto not only
paid their way but also in many instances
made money. ST. Croix has in the period
mentioned by him gone through many
bad years; it has latterly had 5 or 6 good
years ; and we need therefore not despair
now, even if we should get l or 2 bad
years there is then no reason to despond,
as long as the Home Government do not
demand that taxpayers shall be taxed
higher in order to produce funds to meet
the $250,000 expenditure on our budget;
we may confidently rely upon this that the
Home Government will not ruin the
Island.
End Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (HeUitt) said there is one point in
which he quite concurred with His Excel
lency, namely that planters have continued,
despite of bad years, to keep up their
estates this he thought deserves a great
deal of credit, particularly when we re-
member how hard the times have been.
But the planters bear the very greatest
part of the public burthens, and a great
portion of them might reasonably be re-
moved, as he shall endeavOur to explain