, 1892-06-04

spent long ume on It's work, and while the
future Is full of uncertainties, we are still
labouring under a certain and increasing Bud
get and we ought surely not to continue
sanctioning such extraordinary Budgets.
When looking over the Blu iget, with a Reven-
ue of Sl69, 900 p. q. one cannot but be astonish-
ed to see such a large sum Of revenue raised
in a NAL community like this; very few will
be able to comprehend how it is possible; and
it is still more incomprehensible how and
why we shall be burthened with an expendi-
ture highly in excess of the Revenue. This
IS a state of things that cannot last.
The Chairman: AS stated on the Order OF
Day the Budget is for LIST discussion, and
eventually End discussion and he would
beg to make a few remarks. According
to the Rules of Business, particularly s 90,
it is to BIZ decided by the Councils vote if the
Draft is to pass over to End discussion, before
the expiration of the time prescribed between
the frat and second discussions. At the LIST dis
%cusSion he had proposed that that discussion
should be closed before the appointment of
the Committee; since then he has examined
the former proceedings in that direction, and
found that. from 1863 to 1873 it was always the
rnle MOTTO close Iss discussion on the Budget
before appointing Committee from 1873 this
was however changed, and LIST discussion was
closed and the Draft referred to q Committee.
This practice continued up to 1890, when the
Committee was appointed during first discus
sion aud this postponed. OF course, it is i'll
point of fact, of not very much Importance;
in the years 1863 to 1873 when there were lots
of business before the Council, it was then of
less Inconvenience that the LIST discussion was
postponed, as the Council then hal other bust
ness on the same days when the Budget was
discussed, and when the Committees Report
was handed in and discussed, LIST discussion
was closed and End discussion came on, in the
following meeting after the elapse of 6 times "a
hours after first discussion, as prescribed IN
the Rules Of business, but it has only during
the 2 or 3 last years been the practice that
first discussion is closed and second discussion
is commenced on the same day. Now this
can only be done by making use Of s 20 of the
Rules of busin, So, thereby making exceptions
to be rules, which cannot be correct. If we
follow the rules of business LIST discussion must
be closed and 6 times24 hours intervene before
2nd discussion. Therefore, if we now post
pone first discussion until after receipt of the
Committee's report, we would, If We followed
the rules Of business, have then to close first
dicrsSion, and call another meeting after the
expiration of6 times "a hours, in order to bring
on the second discussion, but this would be
of great inconvenience, especially as we gene
rally have no other business on the Order OF
Day than the discussion Of the Budget, besides
if the prescribed vote OF of the
Council we're not obtained, the End discus
sion could not come on. Here now, there
is no doubt Of not obtaining that vote, but
fit did happen it might cause great dis
agreeableness to Members, especially to those
from West End and the country, as we would
have to call another meeting for the 2nd dis
cussion after he elapse of 6 times "a hours. AS
the next Budget will come on before his term
expires, he would like to know the view
which the Council takes. The power in %
to depart from the Rules of Business is given
only in the case of preSsinG circumstances re-
curing it, hut here it cannot be said that the
circumstances are pressing, and as he said be
fore it is making exceptions rules. Meantime,
he could see no objections against closing list
discussion now and proceeding to End discus
sion.
3rd Clown Member Iemmfng) said he could
not see the utility of a proposal like this, nor
the necessity ito decide again what has already
been decided by the Council anyhow if a pro
posal of the kind is TO be made, it should be
brought in so that Members are prepared.
3rd Member for Frederiksted's Country Dis
trict (Hewitt), When this Council departed
from the old rule, there was certainly good
reason for doing so, and be thought those rsa-
sons still exist, he for his part conceded with
LE ! - ~~wuk