The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-17
People of St Vincent Con-
 denn the Government
PASS SEVERE RESOLUTIONS
A Mass Meeting Is Held, and It Is Said There Are Plenty of Tracts of Land Fit for sttle-
 ment.

Kingston, St. Vincent, October 16-The public meeting held here today to dis cuss alleged misgovernment and malad- ministration of relif funds was both en- thusiastic and orderly. Thousands of per- sons of all classes. including Carlo h. dians and other sufferers from the recent volcanic eruptions. were present The Rev. w. Newlands occupied the. chair The following resolution was unanimously carried:
 Whereas, by the eruption of May I, a large area of cultivated land was devas- tated and thousands of people were rem dered homeless and destitute; and abun- dant supplies and large sums were con- tributed. fully sufficient to relieve the dis tress and re-establish the industries and.
 Whereas, under the pretense of there being no land available or obtainable at reasonable rates. a large number of suf- ferers after the lapse of five months have not been provided with homes or lands. and the governor of the Windward islands insists they shall emigrate to Ja- maica under the following threat con- tained in published minute to the ad- ministrator of St Vincent. dated septem- Der 24, You should make them clearly understand that if they refuse this oppor- tunity no more relief will be given them; and,
 w hereas, 1t Is a matter of public mo- toriety that, while many of these people have been starving. large quantities of these supplies contributed by the Ameri- can government for relief have been grad ually shipped from the colonies. and other supplies lie rotting in store rooms; and,
 Whereas. Notwithstanding the gov ernor's statement to the contrary there are suitable lands available upon which to settle the people; be it therefore
 Resolved, That this meeting protest against the compulsory emigration scheme contained in the governors min utes to the administrator as a monstrous violation of the rights and liberties of these loyal subjects of King Edward, and as an negotiable attempt to deprive them of their rightful share in the re- lief fund, thereby frustrating the inten- tions of the generous contributors of this fund This meeting fatly contradcts the governors statement in the minute above referred to. namely, that .The govern ment cannot find homes for these peo- ple.'' The government is holding in trust for these people very large sum of money, sufficient not only to acquire the lands necessary but to assist in re- storing the industries of the colony; and
 Resolve That this meeting hereby calls upon the imperial secretary of state for the colonies Joseph Chamberlain to intervene between these people and the obstinate. cruel and arbitrary policy of the governor of the islands and to direct that the sufferers be located In their own colony and homes without further de- lay
 The meeting further appealed to the colonial secretary to relieve Sir Robert Llewellyn of the government of this colony, to send a commissioner to re- place A. M. Ashmore, government secre- tary at Demerera and to appoint a com potent administrator to deal direct with the imperial colonial office.