, 1893-02-18

so, better to let them have the entire reslOu
sibility we must naturally come to the
result that it is only waste of time to vote,
if the Council's vote is to be ignored.
3rd Member fer Christiansted's Country
District (Lannyl could not taNs any other
view than that ID would be waste Of time to
discuss and vote on this Draft Of Budget he
would therefore second the proposal from
3rd Member for Frsderiksted Country Dis
trict (Hewitt.)
The Chairman: Az it has come so far,
that it 10 considered that the Council has NO
right TO decide even on suoh small items as
those two he had named, that the Colonial
Council can not for instance refuse 848 for
a Guard House, and then certainly there 10
no use to vote at all il the Councils vote is
10 be ignored in.that way, better abstain, il
though we have the right.
3rd Member for Frsderikgted's Country
District (HewitD When making the pro.
posal for a Committee Of 5, it was not bic in
t~ention that the COMMITTEES shall be charged
with the duty of reporting on tho Drafts OF
Budget before the Council, but the Committee
should be appointed to draw up Resolutions
showing forth tle reasons why tho Coloni Il
Council cannot discuss this Draft and re-
Trains from voting OH it. OF course this
Council has never claimed any right to vote
on items fixed by Ordinances or the like; the
Council has carefully kept within its bounds
il all respects; but now when We see the Cour-
ciI'svote ignored where it surely must have Q
legal right to vote, and that takes place re-
peatedly, tn Council Can ind no use to re-
peat its vot, and see it again annulled arbi-
trarily. Now, the Home Government and
His Excellency say, as long as the Colonial
Treasury can't pay it's own expenses, and as
long as the Mother country has to pay, the
Ho10nia1 NO,,no1I hos Loaf J. 1orunu Sc roA:O-.
but that is not so if it were SO, why ask the
Council at all to vote2 Any how, if that 10
the ruling doctrine, let the Colonial Council
leave the whole thing in their hands, no vote
is necessary as long as they will pay,-but
then they must pay. Human nature is the
same all over the world, and If we pass Bud
gets suoh as this one we will most assuredIy
some day be told. we'll, you passed them. you
must have The re|ponsihility; you passed the
Budgets with those expenses. you must be re-
sponsihle for the debt on the colony; certain
tainly you must know it is requisite, since you
passed it. But no one will know that We have
year after year given in our opinion and vote
that it is not requisite to have such an admins
tration as this, for an outlay Of Sl4S, 900 pa.
or upwards, when the colony is in such Cir
oumstance$ AMI over-burth ened with taxes.
When moreover Government pays no atten.
ton, not even to the smallest wish and vote
Of the t'ouncil, we have no use to vote. All
these reasons must DO stated to show the
cauae why the Colonial Council goes now TO
this extraordinary measure, According to
tbs general laws, when a hitch of this kind
comes up, it is customary that q Committee
BE- appointed to submit adraft forthe Councils
Resolution, and be had thought it hest before
PROCEEDING TO the vote to make these few re.
marks. lie would now bog TO propose chat it
be put to the vote of the Council whether the
Budget shall pass TO 2ni discussion or n at, and
Committee of q be. appointed to frame Re~o,
%lutions.
The ChairmGn: Last year he had proposed
that the Committee be appointed after the
LIST dis3 ,ssiol bu1 it wss rejected
3rd Member for Fredariksted's CouAtry Dis.
triot Hewitt: That was of course when the
Council desires to have a Report on the B I'D.
get, when amendments are to be made.
This Chairman: According to Law, no vote
can DO taken in regard 80 the Draft passing to
2nd discussion; all Government Drafts must
pass to 2nd discussion without vote, then to
be accepted or rejected
3rd Member for Frederiksted's Country Dis.
triot Hewitt: But we have no vote any longer.
md when the Government goes outside the
laws as just stated, the laws cannot be consider
al hindiup for rig