, 1914-04-08

altogether to allow the draft to be finally
decided on to-day, as the matter might have
to be laid before the Ministry again.
The Director of the Station still maintain
ed, however, that he was able to run the
Estate for what he originally calculated, and
his experience during the Z months that had
passed since he took over the estate corro-
borated this. The Committee might there.
fore possibly have been too careful in keeping
on the safe side with the calculation of ex-
penses, and it might consequently prove Of
advantage to have the matter considered
again IN the Committee and with the Direc-
tor of Agriculture and Government. Ii the
Committee took up the question again with
the Director and met in IN estimate, nearer
to that underlying the Draft, it would be
possible to proceed with the matter as origin
ally intended and as proposed by the majo-
rlty of the Committee without any further
delay.
lst Member for Christiansted TOWN. Stake
MANN remarked that he In the last meeting
had declared, that he would neither vote for
nor against. But some remarks from the
hon. 4th Crown Member made him take the
word. It was the proposal Of q Committee,
m Administration He could not agree with
this proposal. We must have full confidence
IN the Director of the Station or else dis
charge him, When things turn out bad, it
is the Manager who is blamed, but if things
turn out we'll then the administrator gets
the praise.
Next there is the deficit. There is more
prospect of poor times than Of good +
and the calculations may therefore be
there is a possibility of a deficit. .ould
know where the deficit is f. ken from,
is it to come out of the .g4aI fund, then
the members should be very careful in
voting, if out Of the Immigrationtund, then
it is the planters who will have to pay.
Now His ExceIency the Yice-Goyernor
states, that the Committees calculation is
far above what Government has proposed,
and His Excellency wants the Committee to
take up the work again, II the matter is to
b1. settled without reference to the Ministry
home. But how can these gentlemen Of the
Committee Of whom we have heard how
thoroughly they have examined everything,
20 back and estimate again and then return
to the Council and say, we are willing now
to propose less? If such a thing can take
place then the Director Of the Station is bet
ter able to estimate and go on with the work
than a Committee. The Council might just
rs well grant the originally proposed esti-
mates. II the majorlty's proposal was
adopted, then the matter had to 60 back
70 the Ministry.
1t is not the first outlay that is dangerous,
it is the running expenses every undertaking
depends on, if the yearly expenses are not
covered by the income, then the deficit viii
be there.
His Excellency the acting Vice-Governor
(Bausmtn) thought that his remarks had
been a little misunderstood due to his omi4-
sion of mentioning the increase, proposed by
the Committee, of the starting expense, His
objections were not to an increase of the first
outlay, as none could so we'll Judge on that
question han the gentlemen on the Commit
tee, but he had to take reservation as to q
calculated deficit even under ordinary cir
cumstAuces.
The Government is instructed by the Min
istry; instead OF working with a surplus, as
the Draft has it and which the Ministry has
agreed to, there is now found a deficit. 1t is
therefore IN this question about the deficit,
that the Committee, the Director and perhaps
Government might come to an arrangement
that made it unnecessary to lay the matter
sgain before the Ministry. If the Commit
tee could come to a modified result after
having seen the Directors actual expenses
for Z moDths, the matter could possibly be
settled in this session Of the Colonial Coun-