, 1889-10-23

Executive IOIlco, NaBrtuCS WdI'cIS cI"
ing TO labour, trade, masters and servants
and the harbour in part, while the State
freasury betrayed the other expenseS.-By
the Colonial Law of 1868 the Communities
acquired administrative and legislative
Dowtr III MI state and communal matters.
The result was q quicker develOpement OF
certain public interests, but also in increas-
ing the expenditure while unfortunately at
the same time, from natural and unavOid-
able causes, the Revenues did not even
keep at their old figures, but fell off, in st.
CrOix, however, only temporarily, i'll st.
Thomas, as it appears, permanently, on
account of depression in and
navigation. From 1866 to 18886-87 the
public expenses have increased in st.
Croix with $~26,518.O9. This increase is
almOst entirely due to the development of
the communal interests, the expenses Of
which have been increased with $24,813.75
and falls principally under the following
items, the Sanitary Department, with
10000, the Poor Department with 5000
and the Prison Department with $3,387.
The conclusion to be drawn from this re-
sult is that since the coming into force of
the present Colonial Law the Colonies have
principally worked for the promotion of
their communal interests. This result is
natural, easily explainable, and was also
to o certain extent anticipated but the
further conclusion that may be drawn from
the experience thus gained as to the nature
of that change in the Constitution which
ought not any longer to be deferred is, that
the right and most cOnslderate way towards
the Colonies is to relieve the Colonies from
the financial burthen, in so far as serv-
Ing State interests and to leave to their
care only the communal interests proper.
In khio yUou Tho NIOlOni0o will haV0 a OnfUF.
al and limited task to accomplish, one that
may be expected will not exceed their
power or ability.
1t is to this purpOrt the present Draft OF
Law tends -
It introduces again the difference be.
tween State Affairs, State Revenues and
State Expenses on the one side, and Com
munal Affairs, Communal Revenues and
Communal Expenses on the other side.
The intended change is then principally
o return to the State of things existing
beEOre the COlonialELaw of 1868, but never"
theless there are several essential differ
ences. both as regards the:'character of the
constitution itself and as regarding, though
to q smaller extent, the nature of the com
munal affairs, and also as regarding, final
", the revenue aud expenditure assigned
to the administration of said affairs.
FROM SOULFUL l. III Will OO S0on IudU GLC
present Colonial Council shall remain un.
altered; it shall retain it's Legislative power,
but the sphere of that power shall be limited
TO the communal interests proper of the Is
land. Consequently the position of the
Colonial Council will hereafter be different,
from the position of the Burgher Councils
and of the Colonial Council existing until
1866, in so far as they retain legislative
power; it is a matter of necessity that the
sphere of this power should be reduced, as
it is evident, that when the Statetreasury
is to defray the expenses of certain colonial
institutions, it would be inadmissable to
leave to the Colonial Council the power
to pass ordinances, possibly affecting those
expenses From Section 2 it will be
seen that the communal affairs over which
the Communities themselves, through the
Colonial Council, will continue to exercise
the control, are the same as before 1866,
with the exception of the Police, the su.
periOr administration of the department of
public instruction and the superior admin
istration Of the sanitary department, and
also, with the exception of the harbour Of
st. Thomas. That the Police has been
excepted is because with good reason the
Police service can be said to be u state in
terest just as we'll as the military service,
both of them principally serving the pur-
pose Of maintaining public order. The prison
expenses are however left to the Commu-