, 1892-06-25

lency has shown that the whole question is
only Of 1913 for the estates if that were 80.
there would be no difficulty if We had a man
who could be held to do the work for the sums
IN the estimate, there would be no further
trouble. But the same man who frames the
estimates, does the work, but he is not at all
held to his estimate. Such, then, is the diff
ference. He, for his part, knows nothing Of
the whole plan or the estimates pity we had
not another man who could try the estimates
and see if they are reliable. From these rea-
sons, he would abstain from voting ON the
amendment and the bill.
LIST Member for Christiansted's Country Dis
triet (Lunny) would beg to say, that the Road
Commission had had the plan and estimates
before them, ard the Commission had accept
ed them, provided the Government undertook
to defray of the expenses for the work. The
question then arose if that should be put in as
a condition agreed on with Government; but
it was finally adopted to leave it to option.
The Members of the Road Commission have
therefore all agreed to the plan and estimate
now before the Council, and which is the same
as was before the Commission. 1t is his opini-
on, that if the plan had been followed UP, the
roads would have been completed before this.
Much loss of time is caused by the lengthy dis
cusslon in the Council, and from which no good
ever comes. He could not help thinking that
some arrangement could have been made before
now; for Instance, could we not assist the 2
quarters by taking $1,000 out of the Immi-
grafton fund and assist the Estates that are
to be assessed for this work? We have seen
the Fund applied for loans to pay labourers
on Estates and this is just as neeiful a pur-
pose. He for his part, still considered the
Governments plan to be the right one. but
If Government could assist the quarter in
some way to pay the amounts they have to
meet, it would materially tighten the matter
for all parties. We might pass an Ordinance
the same as last year, to apply the needful
sum from the Immigrationfund
The (Speaker) would agree with the LIST
Member for Uhristiansted (Creagh) that it is
q pity we can't get several mon to compete,
or at all events a reliable estimate from Il re-
sponsible man for public works like this. 1t is
to be regretted that only one man can furnish a
competent estimate, and here this item for
his unforeseen circumstances is a serious mat
ter; as long as that clause is open in the re-
marks estates can never be safe against I'M
forseen and heavy charges. when we think we
are finished paying our original assessment.
The evil is, that the inspector is not bound
to stick to his estimate; if the estimate were
guaranteed, for Instance to fill the lagoon for
that sum, and be done, there would be no
difficulty in the question. But there is still
this other point that If the filling up of the
Lagoon is necessary from sanitary considera-
tons, then the Estat 8 in West End Quarter
should not in equity have any portion of the
expense, the law and the spirit of the road or
dlnanoes require the cooperation Of The es-
tales in maintaining the Roads, which it is
supposed are used by Estates, bat public thor
oughfares and public sanitary improvements
are matters foreign to the object Of Estates
assessment in road work. He took it SO that
the Government really has an earnest desire
to get along to the benefit of the community
in what ever it undertakes bat then the
Government must give those immediately
interested in the matter credit for the same
earnest desire. 1t is a fact patent to every
body who cares to know and to learn any
thing of the colony, that Estates, aud partic-
ularly those (which are in question now.
can not bear their own expenses and there
fore those parties must be careful how they
incur expenses, and how to avoid a future and
perhaps heavy expense, when they have no
means to meet it. Hence the anxiety in this
matter, and hence the doubts, and we believe.
that there IL a cheaper and Just as efficient
way to come to what is needed, than that of
Governments plan, and it does not look as
being quite fair to ask the Estates in West
End Quarter to pay for what they have no
obligation nor duty to perform. 1t is true,