, 1889-03-16
of s Members.

OiO ACIuOVA " EACNCI IhSiCN . OOOhUJ
District. (Hetcitt) would before the Draft
goes into Committee beg to say a few
words. Many in this community were un.
der the impression that when the Budget
came on, we would nave seen some pro.
pOSals fr retrenchmentS; but instead OF
that We see Increase of Expenditure, and
the Draft slIewS upwards of $4,000 more
than last years. This is but a very small
island, and such o budget as the present
is very Extraordinary. He and many
others in this Community had also eXpec-
ted TO have heard something about the
Military Expenses being assumed by the
MOthercountry, also the Governors salary;
bur we find no explanation whatever ON
that head, although promises had so ire.
Quently been made in thar respect; ana
we are now forced to cCme TO the cOnclu-
sion that those heavy expenses are not to
be removed from our Budget. Well, then,
it seemed to him to be of no good for US
here to occupy our time III discussing TINS
extraordinary Budget, since all and every
thing will still be decided exclusively ac-
cOrding to the will of His Excellency the
Minister of Finances it will be but a
mere waste Of time for us 10 discuss it.
Last year a bill was brought before the
Council tending towards a practical result
that would have gained for us a great saw
ing of expense; but because the bill was
introduced by private initiative, this was
sufficient reason for the Minister not to
countpnance the Draft. This Budget
shows ND all amount Of expenditure which
it is impossible that ~ small cOmmn-
nity like this can bear; other colonies are
better administrator for far less, and
in former years when the public expense
did not amount to more than Sl5S,O0O, the
administration was not inferior but per-
hans superior to now. He for his part i'll
tended not to vote for this Draft.
4th Member for FredprikSted'S Country
District (SUitzer) would second that opinion.
2nd Member for FrcderiEsted's Country
District INC. DOnGtd) begged TO state, that
from the reasons expressed by the honnra'
Die Speaker before the last, he (McDnnald)
had not voted ON the 2 last Budgets for this
Island. He could wee 10 weight or utility
in passing This Budget, no use in diScu s.
inc or voting il hence he would abstain
from voting it this year too.
The Governor would say, that the re.
marks from the honorable 3rd Member for
Frederiksted'S Country District Hewitt)had
not surprised him, as he had heard them
before: bur when the honorable Member
STYLED this Budget an Extraordinary Bud.
get. he (ihe Governor must protest against
that. for this Draft contains nothing beyond
the same items and almost the very same
figures as for n number of years past have
appeared in the annual budgets for this Is
land and the honorable Member in mis-.
taken when he says this Draft shews $4,000
more thar last years; for there are
but about 90, 800 more now, which are III
diSpenSably necessary 10 meet pensions
that have become due according to the
pensiOn law; there is scarcely any other
Increase beyond that. 1t is quite true that
the amount of the expenses borne by this
Community would appear too heavy for a
Community Of this size and ability, but ex-
D~erience has hitherto shewn that whatever
necessary expense the colony cannot bear,
The Ministry of Finances canseS them to be
defrayed from elsewhere, and with that
fact before US, he thought the Council
could very we'll await the good time and
opportunity of the Ministry, before we
here commence to ask for alterations OF
the Colonial Law to reduce expenses.
3rd Member for Frederiksteds Country
District (HeCitt) would in reply say he felt
himself justified in saying that this Draft
shews 50, 600 higher expenditure, compared
with that of last year, which Showed q
total of 1855 ,921 while We have now S261, $40;
if there be a mistake, it is, therefore, not
with him, as he had quoted from the
documents submitted to the Council, but
the mistake must be in those papers. AS
for His Excellency's remarks about changes