, 1916-03-25

-ES-'O ~Oo
without result. About 4 or 5 years ago we
had over 100, 900 dollars cash in the Colonial
Treasury. According to recommendation OF
Minister of Finance 1000 dollars have been
laid aside as a Reserve Fund that cannot
be attacked without the sanction Of the Coun-
Gil and the Ministry. But now when the
expenses exceed the revenue how will it go
next year, when money will be needed for
different purposes, +. inst. The Poor Depart
meut, the Sanitary Department?
If the Budget three year at q stretch
shows Il d efci!, then the Colonial Law says,
that either the import duty must be increased
or we must have al income tax.
If this money is to be voted for, as it
seems the hon. Members are inclined TO do, (
then I will ask, can we conscientuously vote
for money we have not got?
| think, if this money is voted for to day,
His Excellency should promise us that there
shall not be any further increase of the ex-
penses than absolutely necessary.
4th Member for Christiansted Country
District (Schn,iegeloo). The Planters Re
representatives., negotiating with the Labour-
ers' Union, have together with the Governor
agreed to the Labourers' demand regarding
q basis, either of Is 600 Frcs. cash or Is, 600
Francs to be taken from the customs duty.
Whether this will or will not prevent a
calamity, we Planters must at all events sup
port the Governors proposals, and [ will ask
the hon. Members to vote for u reduction up
to Is, 900 Frcs. of the duty on cornmeal, by
which all, also the poor will be benefited.
3rd Member for Christiansted Country
District &c. h. Leeoy). [ agree with he
last speaker and more so with the hon.
Chair man. 1t is all right to reckon on IN
import duty, but what will the export duty
10 VUI-.o -Il Al. o~ 1900 F,oro 9
There is no question, that next year no cane
will be planted. The cattle is already going
in the young sprouts. 1t is only q postpone
ment of the calamity.
His Excellency the Governor (HeilUeg-
LARSEN. As to the remarks of the last hon.
Speaker, | must say, when our circumstances
are compared with three years ago, our out
look is much better, we have had three OK
ceedingly poor years, bot this year we have
a good crop and better prospects.
1t stood TO me, if we could afford to sacri-
flee the crop, when by making a smaller
sacrifice we would save the crop.
3rd Member for Frederiksted County
District (LunneW. OF two evils we must
take the less. There is an agreement be-
tween our Association and the Labonrers'
Union and we are bound to back our
Representatives,
L quite agree with 4tn. MEMBER Iof Chfls-
tiansted Country District (Schmiegeloao).
that our outlook for The future is very stormy
and that the cultivation of sugar cane and
cotton is destined to cease in the near future;
under our present conditions it will be i'm
possible to carry on our Estates except at a
loss, as we have no market for our products,
except through high tariffs and dear roles
of freight in comparison to our neighbour
ing Islands, ard therefore it ie impossible
for us to pay our labourers the same high
wages, they pay.
just let us compare notes with the farm
ers in Denmark, they have excellent markets
in Germany and England, cheap rates of
freight for their butter, eggs and cheese; if
we had such facilities we could make kro-
gross also.
The Planters have the greatest difficulty
10 work up against high tariffs and high
freights in every market we send our pro-
ducts to-, and then dry seasons and small
crops for the last II years; and notwithstand-
ing that we have of our own free will raised
the labourers' wages with $3.50, yet still as it
were having adversely in the vale of obscur-
ity, being so far away from the Mother
Country, that knows so little of our difficult
ties and the impossible conditions under
which we have to live, and / maintain, that