, 1889-12-25

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without any other sacrifice nor was it
considered suited to NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
as the Council would retain legislative
power in communal affairs, while in
point of. feet the Legislative power of the
Colonial Council in State affairs always
: had been merely formal, since proposals on
such affairs could never meet with success
except they we're supported by the Home
Government. While this merely formal
legislative power could not, under the
altered system, continue to the same
extent as heretofore, it is intended in
compensation to give the Colonial Council
extended power in regulating all affairs
concerning ways and means for the pur-
pose of securing a balance on the NUM-
cipal budgets. When it it is stated in
the Report that the Council will be hav-
ing even less power than the former
Burgher Council, be must say, that
statement is not fair, and at all events the
same may be said of the organisation
under the present Colonial Law. The
Burgher Council and the Colonial Coun-
Gil could not be compared the latter will
have a real Legislative power in certain
affairs, which the Burgher Council had
not. Hence he could not admit that this
objection to the Bill is we'll founded
The Committee alleges another reason
for not recommending this Bill, namely
that the sum of the Revenue proposed
to be given the Municipal Treasury i'll
future would not be sufficient to cover the
Expenditure, which the said Treasury is
to detray and in proof thereof the Com.
mittpe states that the Budget for 1889
already shews Il deficit of $5,864 and that
of 1889 80 Il deficit of 81 1885,. Now, it is
not OF SO much Importance in itself, but
these figures are not correct the Budget
for 1S8S-S9 will, as far Ms he knew, show a
deficit OF 81, 500, while that for 1889 80
most likely will give rather a large sur
plus, calculated in the manner lone in
the Voucher l to the Bill for that reason,
that the export duty has yielded a much
larger revenue than calculated in the
budget But the Committee says fur
ther, that even if the Bill were amended
in such Il way that the revenues and eX-
pen>eS were Just balanced, iU is to be
expected that very sOOn the question will
arise, how a deficit is to be covered, and
t he only way TO achieve that would be
by increasing taxes, which the Commit
tee finds impossible under the present
circumstances He could not agree with
the Committee in that respect. It is
clear that with small municipal bud
gets. we will nOt often if ever have
. large deficits to cover, and we nave objects
which are suitable for taxation; he
would mention an IncOmeTax, to be assess
ed on every one having q clear income of
800 then again u tax on foreign lotteries,
and also q Tax on Spirits consumed here
there are about 40 to $4,000 gallons OF Rum
consumed yearly in this island which pay
no tax so to say, while for instance in
DemeraTa the chief revenue of the Colony
is from All excise duty on Rum and he
could not see why we could not have the
same tax here; it could be used for making
up the deficiency from variations in the
revenue of the ex%port-duty. He could
therefore not agree neither to the End OBJ
lection made by the Committee, just as
little az to the first one. The Committee,
however, has, from the reasons stated, viz:
the loss of some formal political power
and the possibility of having eventually to
raise some additional revenue by taxation
for the pure benefit of the Colony, recon-
mended to the Council to refuse the Bill,
and to ask for full political power and that
the financial affairs be so arranged that
there can be no question of increased tax
alton at all. Now, while otherwise it ia
acknowledged that political independence
and financial responsibility must follow
hand in hand, it appears from the Commit
tees Report, that this principle is to be
abandoned as far as st. Croix is concerned;
but even if the Committees proposal should
be adopted By the Council it is clear that