, 1892-06-22

AAAACA ~ 49, W
be able to act further on it-what does the
honorable Member mean when he says it is
a wrong principle that the Building Inspector
shall contract for public work
The Speaker meant to say that the Build
ing Inspector tenders for, and gets the work
to do, for which he has made the plans and
estimates. Suppose now, he, the Speaker.
were to tenderf for the work. he would not be
given that advantage ......
The Go0ernor: The Building Inspector
gives IN no tender for such work It is q per-
feet mistake; the Building Inspector francs
the plan aud makes the estimate. which il
laid before Government and approved the
money is at disposal by degrees as the work
Is performed, and accounts are sent ia to Gov
eminent for every single item.
Bird Member for Frederiksted's Country
District (Hewitt) had understood that the In
spector rendered for the work, and got the
work to do he might have misunderstood
1t but he cannot admit any desire to make any
personal remark.
The Governor Would be glad if that
misunderstanding had now once for all been
removed, and that in future no mlsunder-
standing will occur; he did not like to use
strong terms to characterize the impression
caused by the honorable Speakers rem ark,
but it would seem to imply that tho
Inspector was not an honest man and that
the Government must be dishonest in order to
tolerate such a system.
The Chairman would beg to say that he had
not understood the matter in the man
ner stated by the Speaker; he had not
looked upon it so, as though the Inspec-
tor contracted for the work, but he had
signed the Committees Report fsom this
view that the Inspector, residing as he does, in
Frederiksted and only visiting in Christian
sted every s days, he was unable to control
the work done up here, it was thought that
suoh q commission could be better able to see
what is really needed to the buildings and 10
point out that which is needed and the posi-
BILE ex enses thereof.
The Speaker: Many things are done which
are not on the yearly estimates, for instance,
the lime kiln in Frederiksted's fort, the
exercise ground outside the Fort, nor does the
Council get any information of such things.
The Gorernor: Explanations would be readi-
" given. There is an item for unforeseen
expenses, from which works absolutely re-
quired in the course Of the year without any
great outlay are betrayed, without it being ne
cessa,y to ask for another grant. Whenever,
moreole r. works. are done and small sums remain
on the estimates and there is some useful i'm
provrment needed, the amounts so saved are
employed rs far as needed. The exercise
ground by Frelcriksted fort cost $50 TO $40.
and this is decidedly a great advantage at a
trjhing cost. 1t would be a bad Government
indeed that could not make such arrangements,
If only the money is spent in a useful way.
Bird Member for Frederjksted's Country
District Hectic The Iimekiln!?
3rd Crown Member (DiHerScHJ wonld beg
to say that it WAS impossible to put up every
thing to l|icitation and tender; almost every
day petty repairs are required, amounting to /
dollars a month; there must be some means
of providing for such work although they
certainly cannot appear on the Estimate a
year before the necessity for the repairs has
arisen. The Government and Inspector must
have some funds at disposal for similar pur-
poses.
The Chairman would beg to. enquire
from His Excellency if the average Of the
expenses for repairs comprised also repairs to
public Buildings destroyed in the Riots
The Governor would give the figures for
each Of the 10 years, viz: for 187l-72. $3O44;
1928 $3.50: l873-74, $3.50; 1874-75,
S23O8 1875-76 $1Sl2; lS76-77 S4898; 1878
1896 1879, $4366; l879-oO S38l5
188O-81 $3787.
The Speaker: Those items include some very
considerable expenses for changing the Forts
into Policeofices and the alterations requisite
- o,oat tha ranuiremaDtG