, 1892-09-03

as they could be. and in the interests and the
wellbeing of the community, should be sup
pressed. Those petitions appeared to be
numerously signed, and the statements were
80 strong, that having been accepted az
the honest statement of somebody who knew,
the Legislature was induced to insert in that
Bill a proposal which wiped out the property
Of all tavern-keepers and which closed their
houses. Now, when the Bill came to be
considered by the Governor, he began to
ask the question; rs this all true q, because
the Legislative Council had not time to Go
so. After asking, 'Are all these statements
true ?" he next enquired Where are all the
people who signed these statements ?" He
eventually discovered that the statements
were not true, and moreover, having caused
further enquiries as to the people who had
appended their signatures, he found that
nearly all the signatures were fraudulent,
and that in a large number of cases the
people who were supposed to sign them did
not exist. Therefore, | refused to assent
to a law, a portion of which had been
secured by fraud ands dishonesty. (Cheers)
Next year a Bill will be introduced into the
Council with these clauess left out. / think
that is a satisfactory answer. | do not know
that it is necessary for me to say more than
that | thank you for the expression Of your
opinion, and to assure you / value the ex-
pressions Of opinion from such societies as
yours, and shall treasure up this address most
carefully in days to come.
After the inspection of the market, the
Governor, Lord George Fitzgerald, and the
Custos drove to the Clubhouse, where a good
number Of the members had gathered. Three
hearty cheers were given as His Excellenoy
entered. and he remained there for some time.
conversing with the gentlemen who gathered
round. The next stopping place was the
Court House, where luncheon had been pre-
pared. The interior of the building had been
turned into a lunch room and most magni-
fcently decorated by Mr.. Stone, to whom the
Governor payed a high tribute for the taste
and skill displayed in the ornamentation
Of the room. About 10 gentlemen, including
the Magistracy, the members Of the Parochial
Board and the principal business men IN the
vicinity sat down to a plentiful repast, to
which they did full justice.
After the usual toasts Of the Queen. the
Prince of Wales and Royal Family:
Mr.. w. Even proposed the health of the
Governor and said that all thanks should be
gwen to His Excellency for the consideration
he had bestowed upon the community, who
had inconvenience himself to q very great
extent in order to forward a purely local
purpose. Sir Henry Blake deserved thanks
and deserved the support lof the whole island
for the manner in which he was urging
progress.
The toast was then drunk with the usual
honors.
The Governor, in returning thanks, said
Mr.. Custos and Gentlemen, it was q long
iourRey to come down to Sav.-la-Mar but 1t
was a very pleasant one and 1t was
also a great pleasure to me to accept the
invitation of the Custos, Mr.. Segre and the
Parochial Board of this parish, because l
was anxious to demonstrate my entire sym
pathy with every parish in the Island in any
attempt that they may make to secure local
progress, (hear hear.) | was amply repaid
by having the opportunity of driving over
one Of the few roads of Jamaica which l had
not travelled before, from Black River to
this town, and | can say that thoroughly
enioyed the drive from Bluefelds Bay. 1t
is curious, gentlemen, how irrelevant thoughts
will sometimes intrude themselves. AS |
came along yesterday and approached the
parish Of Westmoreland, | was thinking over
the duties Of to-day and over the history OF
the Parish, and looking forward with interest
to see Bluefelds, which has been rendered
famous by the charming book of the naturalist
Gosse. l found myself specializing as to
whether in this progressive parish those
fast-recuriing distance posts had stimulated a
spirit of enquiry or whether they were in
JJ -ouo6 4Lo %b;rck &c ourioeifu hafora