, 1891-10-07

too, that the greatest cause of the d ssatisfac
ton is, that those men have nothing to do
if they were employed to assist the Police in
protecting property and maintaining order in
the country, particularly in the centre district.
where there is scarcely any protection at all
provided, it would be the better for the men
and to the benefit of the country, they should
be used re .ularly as country patroles, etc.
The Goveraor regrets that the expenses were
so high, but we must take unde consideration
all the circumstances, particularly that in both
cases the men had to undergo quarantine after
their return here and in St. Thomas. which is
expensive. The Government had acted as
economically as possible, but had also to act
quickly. With regard to the question from 3rd
Member for Fredoriksted's Country District
0Iewitt) he would say it was not possible to
charter a steamer to fetch the deserted soldiers.
circumstan ces in St. Thomas are not such that
steamers are ready for use whenever wanted.
He hoped that the measures which the Govern
ment had taken since 1873 to protect property
in the country would prove sufficient in future
as we'll as hitherto.
2nd Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (BIackUoOd): There can be no doubt
but that the men had to be brought back, when
once we knew where they were, and 10 doubt
either but that we must pay the cost, and that
such measures as are necessary to search for
them must be taken quickly; he would also adj
nit that desertion takes place all through the
world, wherever there are bodies of men kept
under discipline. But he believed that this
was here caused by dissatisfaction, and this
dissatisfaction was caused by idleness; we are
supporting a great deal Of young men in idle
ness, who might be more advantageously en-
ployed. These soldiers coming here are not
oororol1u looI-oJ ,,~no br @bo;r. oo,o4rrpno~ ~
equals; you never for instance meet one of
that class in com pany anywhere; they must
seek the lower elias SEES of people to keep COM
pany and intercou rse with. But at least they
could be occupied, and occupied advantageous
ly. by for instance looking after our country
districts; we awe lad severe droughts, and
the damages done to cultivation by thieves
and other d~epredators is keenly and seriously
felt. His Excellency is hardly aware of the
damages done to the canes in that way; it is
evident that the p olice is not sufficient TO meet
and arrest the evil, and thus. at least in Chris
tians.ed, we see the canes damaged to very
great extent without possibility Of preventing
it; at times we get no help from the Police,
even though we take the trouble to produce
evidences of the facts; he had heard of a case
where a man had been caught cutting canes
on the fields of an estate; the man was brought
to town by the driver and two witnesses to-
gether with the bag of canes, in an unripe
state; but of course the plants themselves
were ruined; still, the man was allowed to go
free; if he has been caught 9Gain, he doubted
very much. Now, IL is hard to see a party's
whole work destroyed in that way, and no re-
dress offered as should be. We pay for tho
Military Force, but it not used as it should be,
while we all must agree that work is the best
ram adv fOr dic0nntanf omOnp the man
The Governor sad the honorable End Mem
Der for Frederiksted's Country District
(Blackwood) had spoken of thefts of canes and
of property destroyed, and no protection afford
ed to property also that soldiers might be
given more work, particularly in protecting
property; but to that he would say it is a mat
ter belonging to the Police, namely to catch
the parties guilty and to punish them, but it
is not possible to distribute soldiers all over
the country to guard the fields against thieves;
this would not be practicable for several rea-
sons. for instance as they could not have their
fare with, and to provide that would at least be
very expensive;-the only way in which they
can be Gsed, land are being used for the pro-
lection in that respect, is by sending out
mounted %patroIes; this has hitherto been done
as far as consideration to the horses will allow;
if the horses are used too much, they will fall
off, and already now it is attended with difficulty
to get proper horses. If any thing more can
be done, it will be done.
o. MI A. Nn$