, 1892-06-11

could not at all for the present entertain any
proposal Of reducing the staff in the Custom
Houses.
The Speaker: In regard to His Excellen-
cy's remarks, if not mistaken, His Exceliency
had no objections to do away with one Tide
waiter. ....... The Gorernor: Nol and it
ought not to be forgotten that in former times
there were two military men, who performed
the duties Of the tidewaiters, and he did not
believe that there was any real cause of
dissatisfaction, exec pit because We wanted in
our military reforms to keep the military
as a mass If military alone. He believed also
that the change in that respect took place
when the Military were removed from Fred
eriksted and. the Fort changed into a Police
Office. The Committee too thinks:that a Eide
waiter might be abolished, as there is not
always sufficient work for two, although two
might sometimes be required. But then it is
also a fact-and he could speak from what he
had noticed almost daily for. some years
that there are anumber Of other officials at the
Customhouse, for whom it must be difficult
indeed to know what to 10 with themselves;
for several weeks there are no vessels in or
cut, beyond our own little schooner between
st CroiX and s.. Thomas in flct you may see
some Of them at almost all hours enjoying
themselves IN rocking chairs or resting
surely, those men could be given more occu-
patton, and some Of the duties of the writer
or tidewajter could easily be discharged by
them, and the men feel glad to be occupied,
and salary or two, now unnecessarily spent,
be saved. As it is now, it would seem to DO
even to the detrimeut Of the real service to
have grown men unoccapied the greater part
Of their time. 1t would really seem that ono
Controller and | Assistant could do all the
work. writing ana every thing else. 1t IS
+t,a. chat AZ. .4t, 60 n l,. =. .-N,rl
entered here and lie believed it was the same
case theyear before but if one man can do
both work. why have salaries for two and
why not have one fora certain ply for Do5n
instead Of one with two salaries ? And if a
Messenger must be there, let the wages
appear us such. lie thought there was full
reason f7r the Committee to make the propo-
sails made TO this item, and be could not admit
that there is any bluu,ier, such as His Excel
leDcy points at. and declares to be qlite in
comprehensive surely, the Governments
owa explorations of5}td evidence Of the real
neeilessness Of having the amounts posted as
in the Money Bill surely the time left un-
occupied and hanging heavily on those en-
pioyel IN the Customs service, affords evil
dence that some Of the work could be collected
under fewer hands, ana the business 60 on as
we'll. if not bettor. 1t is quite strange to him.
that Government is under such circumstances
opposed 10 changes, although the facts are
not to be denied. He would recommend the
Committees proposals.
The Gore}Hor: The honorable speaker had
misunderstood his remrk about Tidewaiter;
he believed that the honorable speaker would
agree with HIM that it is impossible to do away
with one Iidewaiter, az at times of the
year it is quite necessary to have two, and if
there Were only one, the work would be more
thaa one man can overcome, as their services
are required day and night; OH the whole,
the staff Is not Idle, the work is not less now
but on the contrary, it is increased; it must
not be overlooked that the PoStofice De-
partmcnt has boon attached to this Office and,
the post duties are increasing constantly, even
il the duties Of the Customhouse have not in
creased, they are the same as formerly. He
believed that the Budget Committee and the
Council itself Will on reconsideration find that
it is impossible for the Government to accept
the amendments.
The Speaker said he could at all events not
see any reason for he great difference between
the two customhouses, Christiansted and
Frederiksted, as to require a 50 much heavier
staff of officials in the frstnamed place tho
duties are the same in both places. He did not
see why, even if one of the tide walters be out
on his duty, the other one could not be there
and doing writing work, instead of a man
specially EMPLOYED as writer; and moreover.