, 1912-05-29

OF THE
COLONIAL COUNCIL
FOR ST. CRolX.
Continued from Aojs No H.

tStdkemanm) said that according to the new
Colonial Law of 9th April 1906 s t3, each
of the Colonial Councils shall appoint from
among its members IL Standing Conmitte
Of S members which under the name Of the
Municipal Committee shall exercise super
vision over the management of the econo-
mical affairs of the municipality and take
part in same, according to Bye=Lqws to be
adopted by the Council and confirmed by the
Minister Of Finances.
The management of the economical af-
fairs are hereby laid into the hands CT the
Government and the Committee and the
Bylaw draw up by the Committee says
iii It's s 4 that: The Mnnicipa! Committee
snpervises and purtakes i'll the administra-
tion of economical affairs of the Municipali-
ty according to the present Bylaw adopted
by the Colonial Council and sanctioned by
the Ministry of Finances. And: AS eco
1omicnl affairs of the Municipality are to be
considered all public affairs conn 3cted with
the Hospital and Prison Departments, the
Sanitary and Quarantine Departments, the
School Department, in so far as ranging
under the Municipality, the Customs and
Post Departments, i'll 80 far as they concern
the Municipality, the Telegraph and Tele- Z
phone Departments, ne fur as concerns local
communication furthermore the superin-
tendence with work done to public buildings
Of the Municipality, and also such other
public affairs as the Government might see
fiji to place under the Municipal Committee.
These are the economical affairs of the
Island. Since the Law there has hardly
been any item for which the Colonial YIea-
sury defrays the expenses which has not
been laid before the Committee One case
the transmission of the mail between Chris
tiansted and Frederlksted, did not involve
any extra expense for the Council. Still
the matter was laid before the Municipal
Committee. All matters then which affect
the finances of the community are within
the scope Of the Municipal Committee and it
cannot be left to Government in each indi-
vidual case to decide whether the matter
shnll be laid before the Committee or not.
If such were the case the Committee is OF
no consequence. 1t was in 1903 the inten-
lion of the Ministry to give the people here
as much liberty with respect to the manage
meat Of Their own affairs as possible aud
with this view offered the community more
extended powers than even those granted
by s SO Of the revised Colonial Law, but the
Council did not consider it timely and was
satisfied with the powers given the Num-
cipal Committee, but this power should be
safeguarded. The speaker referred to his
HIS NOhN WIZ -
Cold on his arrival as Governor, when this
latter stated that the Ministry was de-
sirous of meeting the wishes of the peo-
pie and the Colonial Council as far us
was feasible, but that the Ministry was
unaware of these as it never heard anything
from the Colonial Council in this respect,
until the address from the Council based on
"a proposal from the present Bird Member for
Christiansted Country District Leevyl
asking to be relieved from certain expenses,
was forwarded, and which resulted in such
benefits for the community
The speaker said that the reason for the
present proposal was his learning of u ru-
mour about town, that 2 proposals had been
submitted to Government for transmission Of
mail between St. Croix aud ST. Thomas,
one of which had been accepted and the
party rendering been advised thereof. As
the matter had not been laid before the
Municipal Committee and as it no doubt was
an economical affair of the community which
according to Bye-Law should be laid before
the Municipal Committee, he, the Speaker, us
Member of the Municipal Committee took
occasion ut the next meeting OF the Com
r,;tkoo IN inouira of his EXcelleuCy The Gov.