, 1890-01-01

WIFI his IAColl6nCY tnaC the COnGrOl WOulQ
have required SO much that the final reven-
lie from the tax would be quite insignlti-
cant still the existence of the tax would
have beneficial influence on the inhabitants.
The Governor 1t is so as the honorable
(Hewitt) says, that he (the Governor) had
formerly had objections to the tax on spirits
consumed here; chiefly because of the diff
Guilty IN controlling the manufacture but of
late years some measure has been discovered
IN that respect, which we mlghtalso use, and
as the tax on spirits elsewhere yields q hand
some revenue, hecould not see why the same
should not he introduced here too. The chief
point is, of course, that the manufacturer re-
ports the whole quantity which he makes;
but It the manufacturers themselves are IN
terested III having as high a public revenue
as possible from the spirits, seeing that such
an increase ofrevenue might be used to cover
the deficit from the Export duty, therecessity
Of control would not be so imperative.
The Speaker said, that His Excellency the
Governor had stated that the Committee had
not taken notice of the fact, that the former
Military Bill had this condition, that the
surplus which the Colonial Treasury might
have, after paying off the Factory guarantee
to shareholders, shall be used to pay off the
debt for the Factory to the Statetreasury;
but 1t Will be remembered that His EXcellency
IN his remarks here in this Council stated that
steps would be taken to remove that guaran-
tee and debt if the Bill emanatel as Law;
hence 1t seemed superluous to say anything
about paying it off. But anyhow those items
have been but nominal items ON our Budgets;
they have never been paid and If we had
taken that matter up, we might easily have
brought it on as a real debt and finally, 1T
has never been expected, and can never be
GNlnc+a1 tbot tho E,lNoiol fNrAau11rV OOT1Id
pay it. Hence, f. whole matter would be
Of very little i'm )rtance or difference ; GER
family, if we e have the money, and we
are called on to pay, it would be a great boon
to " and be rid Of the debt.
End Member for Frederiksted's Country
District lFiiSOn) must say that he had listen
ell with attention all throughout the dlSr~S-
Sions on this matter, which has now been
we'll sifted, both in a Committee and in two
meetings Of the Council and we must all
see the wide gap between His Excellencys
opinion of this Bill and the Committees
proposal. He must add that be felt justified
IN saying that the Community at large had IN
public and private discussed and considered
this matter, and there is but one unanimous
opinion that this Bill does not suit, and that
the adjustment therein proposed will not
work, 1t is therefore his belief, that after
lis HxcelEency has heard so many objections
to the proposal, no matter how right His
EXcellency might have considered the plan,
he nor the Minister will not endeavour to
press it. Indeed it would be hard to press
such a thing through after all that has tran
spired. Be would in this respect beg to recall
to mind an observation which was made at g.
time when Sugars were sold at Sc the cwt.
and Who- "n0ar estates were 70 10 higher
value than unoy are now, a
ton made by a Member Of this Councu ana q
man, who was as clear sighted as any man
could be, namely Judge S1rauw, who SAID
that further taxation on properties would De
equal to con6scation. That observation IS still
more justified now, if there were any desire or
attempt to introduce any new taxation IN CON
sequence of the proposal before the Council Il
this bill. 1t is no use to go into details now;
but to take taxes is to touch a mans pocket,
and this is again to touch his blood, and 1T
would be a source of great trouble to impose
new taxes. The Island, and especially the
sugar producing part, is already thoroughly
taxed; we pay more taxes than our neigh
bours and it would not be reasonable or inst
Of the Mothercountry or her Representative to-
advocate more taxes, and no how could there
be any large increase of revenue to be derived
from such a source. The debt on the COmmu-
nifty is large, too large; but it has been caused
bv the administration We all know that
angry words nave fallen here at times when
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