Citation
Official gazette - Dominica

Material Information

Title:
Official gazette - Dominica
Creator:
Dominica
Place of Publication:
Roseau
Publisher:
[s.n.]
Publication Date:
Frequency:
weekly
regular
Language:
English
Physical Description:
v. : ; 31 cm.

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Politics and government -- Dominica ( lcsh )
Genre:
serial ( sobekcm )
periodical ( marcgt )

Notes

Dates or Sequential Designation:
v. 1- April 5, 1865-

Record Information

Source Institution:
University of Florida
Holding Location:
University of Florida
Rights Management:
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Resource Identifier:
000976222 ( ALEPH )
01670671 ( OCLC )
AEV1925 ( NOTIS )

Full Text



29AuW5C


"176


Dominica.


Official


Gazette.


LXXOEAU, THURSDAY, JULY 2 1950. No. 7.----
VOL. LXXIH ROSEAU, THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1950. No. 3 7.


Government Notices.
Administrato .'s *Ofice,
17th July, 1950.
IT is notified for general information
that the Administrator's Address to the
Legislative Council of Domitiica on the
7th July, 1950, is published with this.
issue of the Official Gazette.
.944/50


IN
Land


By Order,
J. N. McINTYRE,
Government Seeretary.

THE MATTER OF THE
Aqiisition Ordinanca 1944
(No. 7 df 1946 )


AND
IN the Matter of a Notification by the
4Governor in Council that certain lands
situate in Geneva Estate in the Parish of
St. Patrick in the Island of Dominica are
Likely to be required for a Public Purpose.
Notificatica of Entry, to Lands likely to
be Acquired
WHEREAS it is enacted by section 4
of the Land Aquisition Ordinance, 1946
(No. 7 of 1916),that if the Governor in
Council considers that'any land is likely
to be required for a Public purpose and it
is necessary to make a preliminary survey
or other investigation of the land he may
cause a notification to that effect to be
published in 'the Gazette.
AND WHEREAS the lands describ-d in
the Schedule hereto are likely to be re-
quired for a public purpose, that is to
provide lands to be cultivated.by the dis-
placed tenants on the said Geneva Estate:
AND WHEREAS in order to do so it is
considered necessary by the governor in


~Q3zl,


Council that the Geneva Estate should be
entered upon for the pui-pose of survey
and other acts necessary to ascertain
whether the said lands are suited for the
said public purpose;
NOW THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY
NO 'IFIED by the Governor in Council of
Sthe Colonyof Dominica, that so soon as:it
!s necessary after the publication of this
Notification in the Gazatte it shall be law.
ful for the Authorised Officer (l'he Agri-
cultural Superintendent) or his agents
assistants and workmen to enter the
Geneva Estate and do any or all acts as
are made lawful by section 4 of the said
Ordinance
SCHEDULE
A piece or parcel of'land comprising 6(0
acres part of the plantation or estate corn
only called Geneva in the Parish of St
Patiick in the Colony of Dominica.
Dated .this 26th day of July. 1950.
E. P. ARROwsMITH.
Admun st ruator.

NOTICE
The Land Acquisition Ordinance, 1946
(No. 7 of 1946).
IT is hereby notified for public informr-
tion that the Governor has appointed the
Agricultwal Superintendent, to be the
Auithorised Officer for the Colony of Dom-
inica for the purposesof the Land Acquist-
Stion Ordinance, 1946, (No. 7 of 1946)..
Dated, this 26th day of J.uly. 1950.
J N McINTYRE,
Government Sacretary.
S. (in substitution fox: Gazette Notice dated
the 2'st day of October, 1949).








177 OFFICIAL GAZETTE, THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1950.

SPECIAL SILVER JUBILEE MEETING

ADDRESS
To
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DOMINICA
BY
His HONOUR E. P. ARROWSMITH, C.M.G., Administrator.
7th JULY, 1950.

Honourable Members of Legislative Council.
This special meeting has been summoned, as you know, to
commemorate the Silver Jubilee of elected representation in Dom-
inica. For the first time since the aboli ion of the partly elected
Assemby in 1898, the people of Dominica were given the oppor-
tunity of exercising the Franchise in 1925. On the 7th July of
that year, the Honourable H. D. Shillingford, C. B. E, took his
seat as an elected member, and from that time until now he has
served as a member of the Legislative Council of Dominica. A
period of 25 years of continuous public service is seldom attained,
and it is very gratifying to have Mr. Shillingford present as a
Nominated Member at this Jubilee meeting.
We are honoured by the attendance at this ceremony of His
Honour Mr. Justice COOLS-LARTIGUE and of the Honourable E.
DUNCAN, an elected member of the St. Vincent Legislative Coun-
cil. The Legislative Councils of Grenada and St. Lucia have
been unable to send representatives, but they have sent messages
of greetings and congratulations. I much regret that the Hon-
ourable J. O. Aird is unable to attend, owing to illness. Unfor-
tunately, His Excellency the Governor was unable to remain in
Dominica to preside at this meeting, but he has sent the following
message which I now have much pleasure in reading:-
"Today marks the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of Elected
"Representation in Dominica. Similar Anniversaries have
"recently been celebrated in the other islands which com-
"prise our Windward Group.
"I sincerely regret that pressing affairs in Grenada have
"deprived me of the privilege to preside over this Honour-
"able House on an occasion such as this.
"This important Anniversary falls in a year when major
"issues on which-depend our future progress both in political
"and economic spheres will be decided.
"I am confident that this House will continue to work
"whole-heartedly for the good of the people and I earnestly
"pray that our joint efforts will succeed in establishing Dom-
"inica's economy on firm foundations."
I thought at this meeting it might be of interest if I were to
give some account of constitutional development in Dominica, and
I am indebted to Mr. LOFTUS ROBERTS who has given me much
useful information about it.
It is usual to date Dominica's connection with the British
Crown from the year 1627 when, by Letters Patent, this island
together with the other island colonies of the Caribbean was
granted to James Hay, Earl of Carlisle. But it was not until the
21st of June, 1775, that His Majesty declared by Royal Proclama-
tion that it was desirable that a full and complete legislature
should be established for Dominica "upon'a permanent and last-
-ing foundation." The Proclamation proceeded'to direct the issue
of writs for the election of representatives for the different
parishes to a House of Representatives, that such representatives








OF~1IGA-1F GAZRTTE~ ,Tfi4RSDAY JULY 27, 195Q. 178

should QuMzqer 19. and that nopbusiness should .h, trpnsapted un-
less th.er.iwere, at least nine membrs.s,,psnt. Provision was
also. made fox. a oLeqiltiye Council to consist of 12 persons, nom-
inated b., the Governor. During the Frenh occupation between
1778 and 1783 the Assembly was still!allowed to exercise its func-
tions.
In 1833, Dominica was incl.ud-d-with Antigua and the other
Leeward Islands in the same Government under a Governor-in-
Chief, who lived in Antigua, with.a Liqutenant-Goyernor residing
in Dominica. There was no element of Federation in this arrange-
ment, for each island retained its own constitution and the sole
link was the Governor-in-Chief.
Eventually, in 1863, an Act then known as the "Single
Chamber" Act was passed. This Act abolished the Legislative
Council as a separate body, and empowered thp Governor to
appoint 9 members to sit in a new House of Assembly together
with the 19 who had before formed the House of Representatives.
The Assembly was authorised to elect its own Spealer. This
Act gave ri-e to much political excitement, and Mr. George C
Falconer was chosen by the people of Dominica to go to England
to present a memorial to the Queen, praying Her eMajes'y to
disallow the measure. The petition, however, failed and on the
25th of October, 1864, the Single Chamber Constitution was
inaugurated.
In 1865 a Bill was introduced to abolish the Electoral Fran-
chise and to make the island a Crown Colony. This measure
provoked a storm of opposition. After considerable unrest, the
Bill was withdrawn, and, by way of compromise, it was replaced
by another Ordinance creating a Legislature of 14 members-7
elected and 7 nominated. The Governor, who presided over tne
deliberations, was to have a casting vote in cases where votes
were equal. This Bill was passed into law, and remained in
force until 18 8. In 1871 Dominica and the other Leeward Islands
were const tuted a Federal u!lony, and a Pr.sident, later styled
Commissioner, and eventually Administrator, was appointed to
discharge in the island such duties, and exercise such powers as
the Governor might assign to him.
In July, 1898, the Crown Colony system was introduced int)
Dominica in the face of strong local opposition. The Legislative
Assembly, however, passed the Act abrogating itself, and substi-
tuting a Crown Colony system of Government. The Legislative
Council was created consisting of 12 members, 6 official and 6 non-
official. all nominated by the Governor under Royal Letters Patent.
And so we come to the next constitutional change, the 25th
Anniversary of which we are celebrating today. Under Ordin-
ance 21 of 1924, provision was made for a Legislative Council of
12 members to consist of 6 official members, 2 nominated non-
official members and 4 elected members, with the Governor or
Administrator presiding at meetings with both an original and a
casting vote. The life of the Legislative Couircil was -fixed for 3
years unless soon-r dissolved by the-Governor. Elections based
on the 194 constitution were held in tne early part of 1965, and
the first meeting of the new Council took place on the 7th of July
in that year.
The subsequent history of constitutional development in
Dominica centres round the Domnitica Constitution Ordinance of
1936. This Act was the outcome of an important West Indian
Conference of legislators and politicians, convened on the initia-
tive of Dominica, which took place in this island in October to
November of the year 1932. The mood of this conference clearly
indicated that West Indians desired a greater measure of autbno-
my and political responsibility, with the ultimate goal of West








179 OFFICIAL GAZETTE, THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1950.
Indian Federation; and in 1933 the Secretary of State for the
Colonits appointed a Commissioner "to examine on the spot the
possibilities of closer union between Trinidad and the Windward
Islands and Leeward Islands, or some of them." ThisCommission
recommended a Federation of the Leeward and Windward Islands
and also urged the grant to "each island of the greatest possible
measures of local autonomy," and that "the-mnmber of unofficial
should be increased to the utmost limit."
The Dominica Constitution Ordinance in 1936 provided for a
Legislative Council composed of 3 official members, including the
Administrator, 3 nominated non-official members, and 5 elected
members. It is that Constitution under which we are meeting
today. Soon after its inauguration a movement developed locally
to withdraw from the Leeward Islands Federation and to become
a separate colony. It was represented that Dominica had more
in common with the Windward Islands of Grenada, St. Vincent
and St. Lucia than with the.saewar-d-J ai&, -This wish of the
people of Dominica was granted, and from the 1st of January,
1940, Dominica became'a Colony of the Windward Islands group.
Now the way is ready for further constitutional progress, for
there will be further advances at the next elections which will be
held in 1951. It would be premature of me to make any comment
before His Excellency makes an announcement, but, as you
know, it is contemplated that the next elections will be held on
the basis of universal adult suffrage and that the number. of
elected representatives will be increased.
No doubt, there will be still further advances, and while this
progress is taking place, it is my hope and belief that the best
traditions of service, to the public and of responsibility will be
maintained by those who will have the honour to serve this
Council.
I have given some account of Dominica's constitutional devel.
opment, which I hope has not been too wearisome, but before I
close I think I should say something very briefly about economic
development. We are advancing on the road to self-Government "
and to a federation of the British West Indies. But for Dominica C
to take her rightful place in West Indian affairs she must become ;o', c
economically strong, and be able to balance her' budget.. I have C\.
never been one of those who regard this as an impossible task.
Basically there is no reason why Dominica should not become one
of the most prosperous of the West Indian Islands. Unlike some
of them, we do.not have to depend on a one-crop economy, and
our natural resoWues inthe land are comparatively unimpaired.
At long last we are able to sell what we can grow. and a start
has been made on a road programme which will be accelerated
when the plant and staff is supplied.
I think we are on the way to prosperity, but the road is not
an easy one. Our natural resources both on Crown and private
lands must not be recklessly exploited for temporary gain. Forest
and soil conservation must go on together with the opening of
new lands. Peasants must be taught the principles of good hus-
bandry. Landlords and their tenants need agreements for the
use of land to their mutual advantage. None of these problems
are easy, but none cannot be solved.
Today we are looking to the past, but let us also look to the
future, and to the day when the Cinderella of the West Indies
can put on the slipper, not with the help of some one else, but
proudly and confidently for herself.

DOMINICA.
Printed at the BULLETIN 'OFFIC, Roseau, by G. A. JAMES -By Authority


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