, 1888-02-29
P R 0 G E E D ! N G s
OLE TETE
COLONIAL COUNCIL
FOR ST. CROTX.


18th February.
The Members were present with excep-
tiOn of 1st Member for ChriStiansted
(Elliott) and 3rd Member for Frederiksted'S
Country District (RuSselD.
The Governor of the Danish West India
Islands and the Government Secretary
were present.
The minutes of the last meeting were
read and adopted.
The Chairman notified the receipt of
several communications from the Govern
mtnt, viz. l, dated 10th Il. C. requesting the
postDOnement Of the Councils ordinary
meeting from 18th inst. to today 2, dated
10th a. c. forwarding copies Of the Draft
of Budget for 1889 etc. together with
some plans and estimates connected with
the Building Department, and a list of
taxes, which are proposed to be written
off; 3, dated 18th inst. inclOsing copies OF
the School Boards Report for 1887, copies
of which were on the Members places.
The Council then proceeded to Order
OF Day, viz:
/, Election of 2 persons to join in a
Commission with the Collectors OfCust0ms
and Brokers for the purpose of furnishing
information concerning the prices of the
islands produce, for guidance in fixing the
tariff on same; as requested by Govern
ment in letter of 4th January 1883.
Bird Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (Re1cit) would before the election
takes place beg to make q remark. In
Fredcriksted parties shipping or buying
sugars have noticed that the prices on
which the duties are collected are much
above the actual prices for which sugars
are sold and bought; at present the tariff
value is 3 cents pr. ID OF MuscovadO, but
- fyNA, %II,E .,V M ITG0h XOt II 10
worth more thar % cts. at the very out
side; hence, as the duty is collected on the
higher value, we pay export duty OF in
reality 6 p, Ct, instead of 5 p. ct. as by
Law. If we are to pay export duty of 6 p.
ct. let it be SO understood, but when we
are led to suppose that only 5 p. ct. is the
rate then 6 oIo should not be charged.
The Chairman enQuired ii he is to under
stand the honorable Member as intending
to make a proposal on the matter.
3rd Member for Frederiksted'S Country
District (Hepjt0 replied, that he wished TO
nut the question to the Government why
the export duty is collected with 6 per cent
instead of sole in the manner stated
The Governor: The Commission that fur
niShes the Government with the requisite
information for fixing the tariff on the Islands
produce is always convened as soon as a
difference of 123 per cent rise or fall takes
place in the prices, in order to propose to
Government the necessary alteration in
the price of the produces for the use OF
the custom houses; the Government av-
ing received the COMMISSIONS proposal
fixes the price. The last time the Commits
sion was convened, the prices were high,
since then they have fallen, but accord
ing to law no change above or below l23
per cent can come into consideration. The
honorable Member aid that the tariff
valuations are always higher than the
current prices; but he 1.-THE Governor) diff
fered in opinion on that point, because
he knew positively that for many years
the custom house valuation bad been low
or than the prices; and he must maintain,
that although the fixing of the tariff is
not always without its difficulties, still the
collection Of the export duties is not done
in any unjust manner.
End Grown Member (Rlchter) said, that
the present tariff was fixed on the Bird De
cember, when there was a rise in the prices
of sugars generally !; afterwards they fell.
But the 3 cts. valuation is not for MuScO-
vado alone, but for all sugars made here
and exported from here. A few days ago
some exporters had called on him concern
ing the matter now spoken of by the Bird
Member for Frederiksted's Country Dis
trict, and he (Richter) in his capacity of
Collector of Customs, had then showed