, 1889-03-20

For a period of three years from the day
IF the publication Of this Ordinance, the ex-
,ensas incurred in the introduction into st.
Jroix of the labourers treated Of in the Ord1-
nance of 18th February 1878 shall be detray'
ed from the immigration Fund, without the
person who takes such a labourer into his
service for the first or second year after the
Introduction having to repay to the SAID Fund
chat portion of the aforesaid expenses which
s fixed by l Of the Ordinance, subject,
however, to the following more precise condl-
/, The annual subsidy from the Land
Treasury, now the Colonial Treasury,
mentioned in the Ordinance Of 9th June
1862 ) 3, ltr. c., shall cease from the LIST
April 1889.
9. fa The means belonging to the lmmlgra.
ton Fund OF the 3lst March 1889 shall!
be invested, through the Ministry OF
Finances, in easily realisable bonds, the
interest Of which shall be added to the
capital and this shall be keptas a reserve
fund, to be used for immigration purposes
under extraordinary circumstances IN &C
.cordance with the rules hitherto in force.
For SOCQ use Oh uIl6 TullQ ULlG COuCOIN0AN
resolution of the Government and the 90.
lonial Council shall be required, and ALSO
during the above mentioned 3 years, the
consent of the Ministry Of Finances.
3. Lastly the more precise Rules for the ap-
p~lication of the tax which by the Ordinance
of 9th June 1862 5 3 ltr. a., is assigned
to the immigration Fund, as we'll as con-
corning the distribution OF the mtroduc'
ed labourers, shall be fixed by the Co.
vernment after conference with the
Colonial Council.
y.
After the expiration OF the period mention.
ed in |, the provision in question contained
in 1 of the Ordinance of 18th February 1873
shall again come into force. unless otherwise
decided by Ordinance.
REMARKS.
In December 1887 there was brought Tor
ward in the Colonial Council, by private mi
tiative, a Draft of Ordinance concerning
notifications of the Ordinance of 18th Febru-
ary 1873, according to which the lmmlgra'
ton Fund was to defray for the term OF one
year the entire expenses of the introduction
of the labourers mentioned in the Ordinance.
A Committee elected to take the Draft under
consideration proposed that it should be
amended in such q way that the Fund, not
merely for one year, but for the future gene
rally, should defray the said expenses, but
that the maximum amount to be used should
be fixed by the Superior Authority after con
ference with the Colonial Council, and
in this form the Draft passed the second
discussionein the meeting on the 10th April
lastSyear. During the discussions the Co
vernon put forward several objections to the
proposal, both in it's original and in it's adopt
ed form, anil stated that if the Draft should
pass the Ord discussion unchanged, he would
not be able to send it home with his recon-
mendation, but that he was willing to pro.
care the decision of the Ministry of Finances
in the matter. This having now been done,
the present draft of Ordinance, with the au-
thorization of the Ministry, is brought before
the Council.
Although it must be maintained that the
llabour force. on which St. Croix must essen
TALLY depend is the body of labourers born
and reared in the island, it is at the same
time acknowledged that present circumstances
are such that the introduction of foreign la
ibourers is necessary, in order, especially, that
the area now under sugar cultivation may be
maintained and extended. In itself it is OF
course desirable thai the Planter who enters