, 1896-04-22

Oil a great deal longer tnan lis moths uosoAE-
cd.
On Monday the Oath a now departure was
made by tile Colonial Secretary asking tor an
amount % cover services for lo9o-so already
incurred. This is m can't to ohviate the Coun-
oil next year voting amounts for expenditure
that has been incurred two years prior to
the sitting. The Newspaper Libel Law again
occupied the Council and the committee stage
was again adjourned.
On Tuesday the Council managed to get
through a good deal of speaking. The News
paper Libel Law was finally disposed of and
then Mr.. Berry brought on his motion hat
in the opinion of the Council the salary OF
the Governor should be reduced to "a, O0O per
annum. He was well supported by his col
leagues, but all amendment fixing 96,OOo as
the maximum salary was put to the vote ana
was lost on division, the official votes, how
ever, being taken on a ruling of the Governor
which nobody can understand, but which
it seems useless to controvert. MIR. Clarke
moved a resolution on a subject which had
excited much interest among the various Pa
rochial Boards-the system OF making the
poor rates pay for the maintenance Of luna
tics and industrial school children. The re-
solution proposed that the general revenue
should pay those charges. The motion, how
ever, was negatived. Then that bsts noirs of
she electeI members, the Kingston Gas Works
Commissioners Extended Powers Law, came
on again and when the CouAcil adjourned
was still being debated.
On Wednesday, the Council again attacked
the Gas Oompany's Extended Powers Law,
and after numerous amendments, apparently
designed to wreck the bill, the Committee
stage was completed, and the bill passed its
second reading. AT the end of the day an
important subject was taken up in the shape
OF a resolution favcnring the suhsidising ofA
fast line Of steamers for carrying fruit to the
markets Of America and England. The con-
sideration of this was continued neat day.
The principle Of the motion was agreed to
by most Of the members and several interest,"
ing speeches were made, md finally 1t was
passed or divisica. The Governor added .
few WORDS ch4r acterisinG the action of the
Council aE msrely s useful and interesting
expression of opinion, which need not nscsssa.
rily have any effect ON theGovernment policy.
II the bill t" extend the powers OF the Gas
Commissioner IN order to enable hem to lns
troduos electric lightinA into st. Andrew
evoked the strongest opposition IN Kingston
the bill to extend the boundaries ofKingston,
introduced OH Thursday, was bitterly oppoS-
cO Dy st. Andrew. 1t was introduced IN q
long speech by the member for Kingston and
opposed in an equally long speech by the
member for ST. Andrew, and orher men,
bsrs took part n She discussion on
either side. The bill was finally referred
to a Select Committee. Then Mr., Burke
made all appeal on behalf of his parish, st.
Thomas, III ging nat the Yallahs and Mo-
rant rivers on the main coast road should be
at once bridged, but the Director Of Public
Works opposed the idea simply because the
work was not necessary, and the motion
was lost by the casting vote of the President
against it. Mr.. Braham, who has distin-
guished himself in his first session by look
ing after the interests Of Agriculture, moved
a resolution bringing to the attention of the
Government the necessity Of Offering facili-
ties to Florida fruit growers to settle in the
Island, and the Government showing their
sympathy in the matter, the resolution was
carried. DR.. Pringle succeeded in carrying
a motion stating the necessity of imposing
q duty of I'd. per Id. on all sugar imported
into the island, but Mr.. Braham proposed
one penny, and after a sympathetic discus
sion the motion was carried, the duty to
be on all beet sugar or mixture of beet and
cane.
Friday was a regular field day, the prin.
sipal items of business being the reception
and discussion Of the report Of the Select
Couomittee on new mans for Jamaica.