, 1911-12-06

snon Utility Of the Municipal Committee
towards the Council but he would first 9ya
an account OF what had taken place. T6eye
existed a contract between Government and
Tue mail-cml1iers concerning the mail service
between tie two towns Of this Island some
time ago Mr.. Armstrong offered to Govern
ment to institute a motorcar service for
I25 dollars a nonth after some oinI d.-
cussion between the Government and Mr.
Armstrong;, the amount was brought down
to 100 dollars a month, AN agreement va,
reached between the Government and Nv
Armstrong a1d laid before the MuniciDuI
Committee no reasons were given why
Cove nment had reduced The amount He
the Speaker, had asked in the MEETING Of
the Municipal Committee, what had caused
tile sending in Of this new tender. and he
got the most extraordinary reasons. Only
4 complaints IL 81 years The maiIseryice
had been carried on by the present c~Ont4ac-
tor and family for that period Of time aud
the last complaint was in 1908. No con-
sileratiou has been given to the present
contractors, no questioning them, if they
were willing to uake over the moiI-eryice in
the new manner not one word has been
said to them. Common Justice and sfolrplay"
ought to have called forth Il question TO the
old contractors, and if the answer was in
the negative, (Which would have almo5t been
certain) then l|icitation should have taken
place.
When in 1877 the first contract was made
out, there were 3 competitors. Ine Speaker
was not sure of the one, the other two were
Mr.. Juughans and Mr.. Brown, the last got
it. What was that, but practically a licjt0-
ton ? When that could take place in 1877,
why not now ? Since 1907 we have got "a
r II ~-
al affairs. The service between st. Thomas
and this Island was put up for licitation.
Why not a'so III this case ? The Govern
ment has always treated US kindly, fairly,
ana with Justice, this is the only case he
can remember whore the Government has
taken such au exceptional ami incousiderute
line Of action.
The reason why the Government had put
down the amount from 125 to 100 dollars,
was, he suspected, that Government could
by so doing, avoid coming to the Council
with this matter.
In the Municipal Committees meeting he
held on l~icitation 3 votes 8'OOd against his
/ vote, one member, the party rendering
for the contract not voting. He asked if
the matter was settled by that vote and was
astouished to hear, that it was, and that the
matter was not to be laid before the Council.
1t is the first case, where anything has been
settled by the Municipal Committee alone
without reference to the Council. The Gov
eminent has certainly q right to act admin
istlatively. But if this is u purely admins
tratiye matter, why then lay it before the
Municipal Committee There must be some
other reason, for SO doing. Some years ago
the question had been "under- discussion,
to try motorcar service after consulting
with the agent for IL motorcar firm, it was
given up, and he, the Speaker, knew, that
Governor Limpricht at that time, a- Score
tary, and up to now was against motorcar
service being instituted just now, princi-
pally because he considered our Dads, rs
they are, unfit for motorcar service, and we
ought to have all our bridges built first.
Governor Limpricht left IN the first days
OF August nc. and it is significant that not
II days after, the offer for the motor service
Wl5 sem IN.
II THIS proceeding of the Municipal Com
Mite /, TO pass, then we have gained moth
ing since 1907 The Council is thereby
establishing one Of the worst presidents
possible. After tins, then the Council need
only meet the first time in every elective
period, elect 5 members for the Municipal
Committee. and then 90 home md leave