, 1892-05-21
HARBOUR
Public Meeting At The
Court House.
st. Johns, Antigua.
STUBBS.
From the 1ntigps OJssrcer.)

At about 3 o'clock this afternoon tho bust
ness Of the meeting commenced by the Lord
Bishop being moved to the chair.
His Lord8hip, accepting the chair, remarked
that he hesitated to accept the special function
of Chairman on a purely business matter, but
as it is was for the Advancement of the inter-
ests oftho Colony he had taken ths chair. His
interests were bound up III the Colony perhaps
more so than most persons, all others were
liable to move, not excepting the Planters.
Even the clergy move, but The Bishop stays
on.
His Lordsbip next Informed the meeting
that sshe had received a letter from His Ex-
cellency The Governor stating that he had
heard that His Lordship was to preside at the
meeting and requested that he should inform
the meeting that the Right Honorable Lord
Knutsford, Secretary Of State for the Colo
MES, had directed the Governor by a dispatch
just received to proceed with the
IMPROVEMENT OF THE HARBOUR OF Sr. JOHN.
Applause
The matter hal been la.ly bg the death Of
Sir John Coode. He spoke with regard to
th. incoye niences Of going to and from the
Steamers, which had to anchor So far trom
thoshore. He felt this particularly. having III
islands in his diocese and having SO frequent
" to visit them.
With reference to Hotels and Sreamc g, he
said of Hotels he could not5y anything, as
owing to kindness Of the clergy AMI lal5f hn
was always Accommodated free q oZpenae, bat
in his travels about the II islands, at MANY OF
which no steamer called, he felt the W4ut OF
them-Hs had to travel in ..tn ose Wet ned
Schooners. He spoke of the Grass Ignorance
of most people in England about Tire West
Indies aud advised that advantage slotIl be
taken Of the present waking mp Of interest.
He called upon Mr.. Lee, to address the mot
ing
Mr.. Lee stated that he wished to coniae his
remarks to one subject. bat he found tho
ground cut from under his feet by the Letter
from His Excellency the Governor which the
Chairman had cad. He hoped there would
be a preponderatIng majority prepared to
back up the scheme OF the Commissioners
endorsed by the late Sir John Coode and
Mr.. Walsh. With the Bar cut through, the
basin of the Harbour d@eep,aed. these .2 ill.,
ties will bring more vessels, and tlr coIape-
tition Will reduce freights. From Demerara
ana Trinidad they ship sugar at 10 70 l@c'
per cwt. The saving here la the matter q
llghterage and drOgherage Wolll reconp the
loss accruing from the reduced rates OF tre,5at.
There would be large increase, In the mann
Der of passengers. Al present, having to 90
N4SldtlCC VI y LlLtCo IL CHo@i1 CD&'' 49,
terrent. Althougha stranger lac yielded to
none in the wish for the prosperity Of ANTI
qua.
We want the lesser work done, but don't
let US laugh at the others who hold to the
most ambitious scheme. He remembered an old
writing-"Fools will never understand Why q
halfis greater than a whole"
In conclusion he referred to some item in
the report, anent cost of construction, which
he thought would be lessened.
Mr.. II. O. Bennett on rising said he had
been asked to lay before the meeting a re8o-
luton, and before doing SO he stated that a
vote of thanks was due to Mr.. Lee for having
stirred up the matter of Harbour improvement
(applause) Two years ago vote was carried
in the Legislative Council, but the matter had
lain in allegiance since. He mentioned that
all present knew his sentiments on the subject
that he approved Of the scheme for improy-
ing the Harbour. At last action was assured,
and much was due to our energetic Governor.
Some of our Planters had looked upon the
Harbour Improvement as purely concerning
the City, but he would not haze supported the
measure were it not in the interest OF Agrl-
cutu~alists as we'll. 1t would benefit the lat
ter in the reduction of freights-say to 10 or
II c., whereas they now pay double the amount,