, 1885-03-04
Pr @ G Z f D | N GS
OF THE
FOR ST. CROIX.
(Conc1usion of Meeting Of 10th Feb

District III. Wilson, said his practical ex-
D~erience teaches him that such returns
as are mentioned in s 8 of this Draft
will be impracticable and useless for the
purposes intended. The planter cannot
guage the Rum the still may be bad;
and there would be no possible way of ex-
ercising control except through an excise;
but we have already heard on the part OF
the Government, that such an excise can
not be levied here, on account Of the heavy
expense Herewith. Even if returns were
made as now proposed, they would Fford
no real stand to ACT upon, for the still
might be at work while just the returns is
made, and before it reaches its destination
there might be much more rum made.
4th Timber for Christiansted Country
District (RaphaeN must agree in the view
expressed by the Member who spoke
lastly ; such returns would not act well at
all in this Island, and they would be OF no
use whatever.
2nd Member for ChriStiansted lLemmingI
would it no one else desired to comment on
the Draft, beg TO propose that it be reterr-
ed to the sam Committee that will be
appointed on the Draft concerning altera-
tons i'll the Trade Ordinance.
3rd Member for Christian>ted (WdSSdrd)
begged to he allowed to make a few re-
marks, Although the Government in
framing this Draft had in all essential
points followed the proposals OF the Com
mission, there was still one point OF I'M
p%ortance where the Government had DIS
agreed, viz: in regard to the contents Of
IT, on which the honorable 2nd Member for
Frederiksted Brown had commented, the
rules regulating the hours OF sale from the
RumShops on Sundays and HOlyiayS.
The Majority of the Commission had pro
posed that on Sundays aud I!olydayS no
sales should be made after s o'clock IN the
morning. This conclusion was arrived at
after IA lengthy discussion III the Commits
sion, aud it was considered a point OF i'm
portance; one member of the Commission
recommended that sales on those days
ShOnld sop altogether. The Government
proposes thar On Sundays and HOlYdHYS
no sales must lie IN lde between lie hours
of 8 u. M. and 4 p. IN. The Government
gives as its reasons for not adopting the
proposals, that when a considerably III
creased tax is put upon the rumShopkeep.
ers, their business onGht not at the same
time TO be placed under too great rrStric-
tlonS. But when dealing with a question
of such Importance for the welfare OF the
Lab0uring Population the interests Of
RumShopkeeperS should not have para
mount or chief interest, but the other in
terest should have the decisive influence.
He should think also that ny torbidding
retailing of Rum III the country, the Rum
shops would thrretr0m derive great benefit,
and that if this measure he carried through,
the RumShnpS will obtain full compenSa-
ton for the. increased tax. Tie WIS happy
10 hear the honorable Member for Frede-
rikSted advocating the measure, and he
hoped that if the Council adopt the view
of the Majority or that of the Minority, the
Government will accept it. Another point
on winch he would offer a few remarks is
the keeping OF books by Rumshopkeepcrs
of the rum purchased and sold; the Go
vernment has not adopted that proposal
because it was considered not feasible; he
COULD. not exactly say whether that would
besso; but it not appear to him to be such
~ very difficult thing, and it would Ger
tainly be to the benefit Of RumShopkeepers
themselves if it were carried through, AS
y nothing could more assist the Police Au-
thOritieS to detect illegal sale of rum. 1t
would also afford some means of controlling
the returns from manufacturers, as pro
posed in 5. AS regards these returns,
they could not he any cause of difficulty to
the manufacturer, as the planter of course
has his books, from which he en- easily
find out what quantity Of rum has been
produced during the last quarter of a year,
and how it has been disposed of; nor did
he And II RI ificult tn SunarViSa Such RETURNS.