, 1889-12-21

O0luR dDlG 10 D6df du IHCE6dSG, 10 oupFOoC@
to be the enormous depreciation particular
~ of estates in the country, which OF late
years in many cases have been sold for less
than half of what they fetched 10 or ~
years ago.
1t is a matter of course that all interested
parties must regret, whom, in order to
secure for the island the benetitssof a we'll
regulated community, it has been neces-
sary to cover by advances from the'Mothers
country the deficits of the Municipality
year after year, until its debt now amounts
to about 2 Millions Of Crowns. This state
of things must weaken the Community's
and the Colonial Councils feelings OF
responsibility and independence, and 1t is
much to be desired that it should cease, or
in other wot Dis, that the Colonial Law be
altered in such a manner that the Colonial
Treasury be not burdened with greater
expenditure than it can bear.
Whilst former bills laid before the Diet
by the Ministry have mostly limited them.
selves to prescribing, that the Colo
NAL Treasury should be exempted from
Che expenses of the military department
and military pensions, and that these
expenses should g betrayed by the State =.
Treasury, the Bill, upon which the Colo
NAL Council has now to give its opinion,
extends much further. 1t depriyes the
Colonial Council of the right to participate
by ordinances in legislating on matters
n0n-muniCipal and conveys to the State
Treasury about BIS of the yearly revenues
of the municipality, the Treasury at the
same time taking over expenses which are
942,700 greater than the amount OF said
revenues. However grateful the Commu-
nifty must feel that the Bill RENTS the
large debt due by the Colonial Treasury
FIR adyoupnC and loans V0Ur (iOmmit tpa
is of opinion that the Bill goes further
than necessary for it is in our opinion :
not nece ssary to demand the sacrifices
which the Bill imposes upon the Munici-
pdlity, but it is still possible to follow the
principle Of the former Bills, viz. to ex-
empt the Colonial Treasury from the mill.
tary expenses with addition of such other
expenses as will enable it to defray the :.
rest. Through deviating from said prin-
Ciple the Bill will also to a greater extent
than necessary deprive the Community OF
liberties once granted, 1t Will even confer
upon the Colonial Council less authority
than the Burgher Council! formerly was
invested with. For in virtue of Ordinance
Of 9th May 1855 the Government could only
exercise supervision of the latter Council
which otherwise administrated all the /.
municipal revenues and expenses of the
island. And again even if the Commune
ty by the BjlPs emanating as Law, would
ba POSSESSED of more independence and
greater rights than the municipalities of
the M0tlercOuntry, III 50 far as the
Colonial Council would participate in le-
giSlating OH municipal matters, it would
hold Il less favourable position than these
municipalities in other respects. The
WeStindian Colonies hdVe not, and cannot
easily have u delegate in the Diet, but as
a substitute the Colonial Law of 1868
allows the Councils the right, even if not
unconditional. to give their opinion on
Bills concerning the islands. 1t seems,
however, although yOur Committee says
this with dJfidance, that the Bill will de-
prive the Islands of this right, which, it
is easily understood, is highly appreciated,
especially as far as concerns Bills tending
to impose new direct or indirect) taxes.
Furthermore your Committee thinks
that it will even be impossible tor the
Island to defray its expenses out of the
revenues allotted to it by the Bill. This
remark does not chiefly allude to the fact
that the Municipality will continue to be
responsible for the guarantee for the Gen.
trail Factory, although this matter should
be mentioned too, for the Committee has
reason to believe that the Minister Of FL
nances will see that the Colonial Treasury
be exempted from responsibility in this
respect. But even the draft of eventual
division of the revenues and expenses of