|
199 -
No. 360.
SA... E AR -iN -' "--NJN TFE
Today I am athorised by the Secretary of State to announce certain changes
hich it i3. SAnteINded VINtroduceN, TUESDAYtitutions 25 JUL, 190. fourNo. 3Colonies of7.
GOVERNMENT NOTICES.
No. 360.
STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR ON CONSTITUTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, WINDWARD ISLANDS.
Today I am aiithorised by the- Secretary of State to announce certain changes
which it is, intended to introduce into the Constitutions of the four Colonies of
the Windward Group.
The Franchise. The introduction of Adult Suffrage was approved by the
Secretary of State in April last year, but it was then intended that the right to
vote should be subject to a simple literacy test. Publication of the report of the
Standing Closer Association Committee has led to a review of this matter, for in
paragraph 50 the Committee recommended unequivocally that elections for
proposed Federal Legislatures should be by universal Adult Suffrage. The Colonies
of the Windward Islands in Committee have since agreed to recommend that our
elections should be on the same basis, and that in the future there should be no
literacy tests. This recommendation has been accepted by the Secretary of State.
The residential qualifications of electors will remain, as is the usual practice, at 12
months.
Property and income qualifications for a candidate for election to Council are
to be removed, but a deposit of $120 will be required.
The Legislative Council. The Administrator and not the Governor will be the
President of the Legislative Council, which will consist of 14 members (including
the President) -3 Ex-officio members, 3 nominated members and 8 elected
members. This composition gives effect unanimously to the desire for a clear
elected majority. The power to define electoral district will rest with the
Governor in Executive Council.
It is proposed to make provision for the election from within the Councils of a
Deputy President cf the Legislative Council, and the presiding officer, whether the
Administrator or Deputy President, will have a casting vote only.
Ex-officio Members will retain their right to vote. Until such time as a
ministerial system can be introduced Ex-officio Members must necessarily play an
important part in the Council, and it would be invidious and a source of weakness
rather than strength to deprive them of their voting right.
The Standing Advisory Committees which we hope to try as an experiment,
whilst not in themselves the beginning of a ministerial system, can do much to
create conditions which are necessarily antecedents to the establishment of such
a system.
3 -- 72 '?
Si,,S:--
SAINT VINCENT, TUESDAY, 25 JULY, 1950.-(No. 37).
The Governor will retain the right to address the Councils at any time, and
no change is proposed in his Reserve Powers.
As regards selection of nominated members, the Governor will endeavour to
select persons best fitted to serve the broad and best interests of the Colony as a
whole. In making his selection, the Governor will remain free to consult local
representative bodies or not at his discretion, but the final selection of an
individual will always rest with him.
The life of the Council will continue to be 3 years.
The Executive Council. Here again it is proposed to introduce an important
change. Each Legislative Council will be empowered to elect 3 elected members
to serve on the Executive Council. All members of the Legislative Council and
not only elected members would have a vote in selection of their representatives.
This will in effect introduce into Executive Council a measure of responsibility to
the Legislative Council, which would further be empowered to remove an elected
member from Executive Council by a two-thirds majority vote. In addition, the
Governor would be empowered to nominate to Executive Council one of the
Nominated Members of Legislative Council. Official Members of Executive
Council would consist of the Administrator, Attorney General or Crown Attorney,
Financial Secretary or Treasurer and one other official member.
The Governor will continue to preside over Executive Council when present
in the Colony, and the constitutional status of Executive Council as advisory to
the Governor will remain unchanged.
The opportunity will be taken to make a number of minor amendments to the
constitutional documents, and to clarify the relationship between the Governor
and his Administrators.
Legislative Council,
St. Lucia.
24th July, 1950.
(C 40/1948)
No. 361.
APPOINTMENTS.
BELAIR HEALTH CENTRE.
Mr. JOHN SAUNDERS, Sanitary In-
spector, as Health Instructor, Belair
Health Centre, with effect from 1st
January, 1950.
25th July, 1950.
(P. F. 337).
No. 362.
MARRIAGE OFFICER.
Mr. ALFRED B. MULCARE, as a Mar-
riage Officer in respect of Congregation
of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada,
Incorporated, with effect from 25thi
July, 1950, and until 31st May, 1954.
25th July, 1950.
(J. 25/1948).
No. 363.
COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT,
KING GEORGE V PLAYING FIELD,
1950.
The Administrator has been pleased
to appoint the undermentionied person-
nel to serve on the Committee of
Management of the KING GtEORGE V
Playing Field, under section 4 (i) of
Ordinance No. 30 of 1945 as amended
by Ordinance No. 39 of 1947, for a
further period of one year, with effect
From 20th March, 1950 :-
H. A. DAVIS, Esq., O.B.E., Chairman,
The Honourable E. A. C. HUGHES
The Superintendent of Works, W
officiu
R. T. SAMUEL, Est., (Nominated by
the Kingstown Board), ex officio,
A. V. SPROTT, Esq.
A. G. HAZELL, Esq.
R. BAYNES, Esq.
A. C. HADLEY, Esq.
T. BRERETON, Esq.
J. L. CHAPMAN, Esq., M.B.E. Secre-
ta')y.
25th July, 1950.
(A. 41/1948).
No. 364.
SUUAR INDUSTRY REHABILITATION
AND PRICE STABILIZATION
COMMITTEE.
Under the provisions of Regulation 3
of the Sugar Industry (Rehabilitation
and Price Stabilisation) Regulations,
1950 (;.R. & 0. No. 41 of 1950), the
Governor in Council lias appointed the
nr dernientioind personnel to the Sngar
SIndustry Rehabilitation and Price Sta-
bilisali( n Coninmttie for a pe iod o f two
years from 21st July, 1950:--
SAINT VINCENT, TUESDAY, 25 JULY, 1950.-(No. 37).
Honourable Colonial Treasurer
(Chairman)
Honourable E. A. C. To repre
HUGHES, Sugar
G. H. HOLDEN, Esq., ducers,
Controller of Supplies
Labour Commnissioner
25th July, 1950.
(B. 26/1950)
sent
Pro-
Public
Officers.
No. 365.
SUGAR INDUSTRY LABOUR WELFARE
COMMITTEE.
Under the provisions of Regulation 3
of the Sugar Industry (Labour Welfare)
Regulations, 1950, (S.R. & 0. No. 42 of
1950). the Governor in Council has
appointed the undermentioned person-
nel to the Sugar Industry Labour Wel-
fare Committee for a period of two
years from 21st July, 1950:-
Labour Commissioner)
(Chairman), Public
Honourable Colonial Officers.
Treasurer,
Honourable E A. C. to represent
HUGHES, interests of
G. H. HOLDEN, Esq., ) Sugar Exports
Honourable G. A. to represent
McINTOSH, interests of
Honourable Eb. workers.
DUNCAN
25th July, 1950
(B. 25/1950).
No. 366.
RESUMPTION.
With reference to Government Notice
No. 240 of 16th May, 1950,-Mr. F. A.
PHILLIPS, District Officer and Magis-
trate, St. Vincent Grenadines, who was
granted 13 days' extension of duty leave,
resumed duty on 19th June, 1950.
25th July, 1950.
(P. F. 133).
No. 367.
LEAVE NOTICE.
DUTY LEAVE.
Mr. M. A. G. I-IANSCHELL, B.A.,
Department of A'iriculture, Snperinten-
dent of Agriculture, with effect-from
25th July. 1950, and until further
notice, to visit Dominica on official
business.
25th July, 1950.
(P. F. 350).
No. 368.
ACTING APPOINTMENT.
Mr. H. S. McCONNIE, B.Sc., Agricul-
tnral Officer, as Superintendent of
Agriculture with effect from 25th July,
1950, and during the absence on duty
leave of Mr. M. A. G. HANSCHELL,
B.A., Superintendent of Agriculture.
25th July, 1950.
(P. F. 354).
No. 369.
OPENING OF NEW HOUSE OF
COMMONS.
WINDWARD ISLANDS REPRESENT-
ATIVE.
It is notified for general information
that the Honourable THEOPHILUS
ALBERT MARRYSHOW, C.B.E.. Member
of the Executive and Legislative Coun-
cils of Grenada, has been selected by the
Elected Members of the Legislative
Councils of the Windward Islands and
nominated by the Governor to represent.
the Windward Islands at the formal
opening of the New House of Comrrons
next October.
25th July, 1950.
(A. 71/1948).
No. 370.
FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY,
KINGSTOWN.
The Free Public Library will be
officially re-opened by His Honour the
Administrator at 5 p.m. on Tuesday,
1st August, 1950.
As from 2nd August, 1950, the
Library will be open to the Public at
the following times:-
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, except on.
Wednesday,
3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays,
(The Library will be closed on
Sundays).
25th July, 1950.
(E. 17/1950).
No. 371.
LE01SLATION.
The following documents are pub-
lished with this issne of the Gazette:-
S.R. & O. No. 60.--The Legislative
Council Rules, 1950.
( 53/1939).
i
.201
SAINT VINCENT, TUESDAY, 25 JULY, 1950.-(No. 37).
S.R. & O. No. 61.-The Public
Library Regulations, 1950.
S.R. & 0. No. 62.-The Prices Con-
trol (Amendment No. 23) Notice,
1950.
(J. /1)49).
25th July, 1950.
No. 372.
SUPPLEMENTS TO GAZETTE.
Copies of minutes of meeting of the
Legislative Council held on the 12th
December, 1949, which may also be
seen at the Government Office, Kings-
town Library, and at all Revenue Offices
and District Post Offices, are published
with this issue of the Gazette.
25th Jnly, 1950.
No. 373.
The Administration Report on the
Department of Labour for the year 1949,
is published with this issue of the
Gazette.
25th July, 1950.
No. 335.
HURRICANE NOTICE.
PRELIMINARY NOTE.
At the direction of the Central Hurri-
,cane Committee a brochure is in course
of preparation containing :
(1) detailed arrangements for warn-
ings in the event of the approach of hur-
ricanes and concerning the organisation
'of hurricane relief;
(2) nominal roll of Hurricane Com-
mittees;
(3) information on the relationship of
Central Committees to District Commit-
tees;
(4) supply Services;
(5) protection and Reserve Services;
(6) shipping arrangements,
and a number of other directions and ar-
rangements which will become operative
in St. Vincent and the St. Vincent Gren-
adines in the event of storm warning
.and if hurricanes materialise.
Pending completion, publication, dis-
tribution and sale of this brochure, the
customary Notices are meanwhile being
published hereunder for information and
guidance.
It is hereby notified for general
.information that In the event of a
hurricane threatening or approaching
the Island, the following warning will
be given:-
WARNING THAT A HURRICANE iS
THREATENED.
Day or Night.
Church bells in towns and villages will
ring for one period of three minutes.
HURRICANE APPROACHING THE
ISLAND.
Day or Night.
Church bells in towns and villages will
ring for 'two periods of three miniites
with an interval of 10 riinutes.
Note:-In order to avoid confusion. the
timeof commencement of ringing
the bells is to be taken from the
Church nearest to the Police Station
in each town or village.
FOR SHIPPING IN KINGSTOWN
HARBOUR.
Day.
A white flag 'with a black centre will
be flown from the Police Barracks.
Day or Night.
.A siren will be blown from the Police
Barracks.
11th July, 1950.
JW. 25/1949).
No. 350.
EXPORTATION OF LIVESTOCK.
With reference to Notice No. 305 of
22nd June, 1950 appearing in the Offi-
cial Gazette of the 23rd June, 1950, it
is hereby notified for general inforna-
tion that the ban on the exportation of
Cattle, Sheep and Goats is hereby lifted
as from the date of the publication of
this notice. This order does not and
will not apply until further notice, to
the dependency of Beqnia from which
no animals whatever will be permitted
to be exported to any other island
including St. Vincent acid the other
Grenadines.
The export of these animnals will be
permitted Ly licence from the Supplies
Control Department. and under super-
vision of the Department of Agriculture
whicli will ensure the disilint :tif n of the
hoofs of the animals coneern.ied before
embarkation.
It is to be understood tlhat the ban on
the exportation on Pigs still remains
until further notice.
11th July, 1950.
(B. 19/1950).
SAINT VINCENT, TUESDAY, 25 JULY, 1950.-(No. 37).
No. 304.
VACANT POST.
VACANCY FOR BINDER IN GOVERN-
MENT PRINTING OFFICE,
ST. VINCENT.
Applications are invited for the post
of Binder in the Government Printing
Office, St. Vincent.
The post, which is pensionable, car-
ries salary in the scale $480 x $24-
$576 per annum. A temporary cost of
living bonus at the rate of $109.20 per
annum at $480 rising by $1.80 for
every $24 to $11640 per annum at
$576 is also payable, and there are
facilities for overtime work. Salary at
a higher point than $480 will be grant-
ed, if necessary, to a qualified candidate.
Applicants must possess a f ll know-
ledge of binding and ruling and must
produce particulars to that effect.
Applications should be addressed to
the Government Printer, Government
Printing Office. St. Vincent, and should
reach him not later than the 31st July,
1950.
20th June, 1950.
(J. 59/1943).
By Command,
BERNARD GIBBS,
Government Secretary.
GOVERNMENT OFFICE,
25th July, 1950.
DEPARTMENTAL AND
OTHER NOTICES.
HATCHING EGGS.
With reference to Departien it of
Agriculture Notice appearing in the
Gazette of 5th July, 1949, it is hereby
notified for general information that in
future all hatching eggs will be sold at
Camden Park Experiment Station and
not at the head Office of the Department
of Agriculture, Kingstown.
All orders should be placed direct
with the Officer-in-Charge, Camden
Park Experiment Station.
M. A. G. HANSCHELL,
Superintendent of Agriculture.
20th Jane, 1950.
EYE CLINIC, COLONIAL HOSPITAL.
Dr. J. P. EUSTACE. Optometrist,
will hold eye clinics every Tuesday and
Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. com-
mencing on Tuesday, 4th July, 1950,
at the Colonial Hospital. No case will
be seen by the optometrist except on a
written recommendation of a Medical
Officer, including Private Practitioners.
School Childre,, inmates of Govern-
ment Institutions and papers will be
attended free of charge. Members of
the labouring classes will be charged a
fee of 36 cents per visit. It is not
intended that these clinics should be
attended by other members of Society.
E. D. B. CHARLES,
Senior Medical Oficer.
23rd June, 1950.
(M. 3411948).
LAND AND HOUSE TAX NOTICE.
The preparation of the Land and
House Tax Rolls for the current year is
still incomplete and will not be avail-
able for inspection at the Treasury until
the month of October, 1950.
S. O. DASENT,
Magistrate (Actg).
8th July, 1950.
NEW TELEPHONE DIRECTORY,
ST. VINCENT.
ADVERTISING SPACE.
A new Telephone Directory is now
being compiled, and businessmen, firms
and other persons desirous of retaining
their advertisement space, or anyone
wanting to insert new advertisements
are invited to get into touch with the
Superintendent of the Electricity and
Telephone Department as soon as possi-
ble.
Advertisement rates are as follo-ws:-
Half Page $2.50
Full Page $5.00
All rates must be paid into the Treas-
ury prior to publication.
N. V. ANDALCIO,
Superintendent t,
Electricity & Telephone
Department.
24th June, 1950.
(P. 2V/1948).
204 SAINT VINCENT, TUESDAY, 25 JULY, 1950.-(No. 31).
KINGSTOWN BOARD. NOTICE.
POST OF MARKET CLERK.
Applications are invited for the post
of Market Clerk, Kiuinstown, St. Vin-
cent. B.W.I.
ThA salary of the post is $720.00 rising
by annual increments of $48.00 to
$960.00 per annum. A cost of living
bonus will be paid on the same basis as
laid down by the Central Government.
A candidate selected may be appoint-
ed at any point in the scale according to
qualification and experience.
The appointment will be prol)ationary
in the first instance for six months
(after which the appointee's suitability
will be reviewed).
Applications with details of ed ncation,
age, experience and copies of not more
tlian two testimonials should he sent to
the Chairman, Kingstown Board, not
later than the 31st July, 1950.
S. F. BONADIE,
Chairman, Kingstown B-ard.
llth July, 1950.
GOVERNMENT COTTON GINNERY
NOTICE.
The price of White Sea Island Clean
Cotton Lint paid by the Raw Cotton
Commission for the 1949-50 Crop has
been increased from 96 cents per lb to
$1.04 per lb. All persons who sold their
seed cotton to the Government Cotton
Ginnery on the Cooperative System will
be paid an increase of 1' cents per lb at
the time of the payment of the Bonus
in December, 1950.
2. All cotton growers are informed
that the Raw (otton Commission has
agreed to pay $1.20 per lb for the 1950-
51 Crop of White Sea Island Clean
Cotton Lint.
3. The Government Cotton Ginnery
will accordingly be purchasing Clean
Sea Island Seed Cotton at 20 cents per lb.
V. G. DaSILVA,
Manager, G.C. Ginnery.
13th July, 1950.
PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER, AT THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICa
KINGSTOWN, ST. VINCENT.
[ Price 12 ets. 1
149,
SAINT VINCENT.
STATUTORY RULES AND ORDER La
1950, No. 60. i -- :
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
The Standing Rules and Orders of the Legislative Council of Saint Vincent
made by the Council and approved by the Governor under the provisions of
section 44 of the Saint Vincent (Legislative Council) Order in Council, 1936.
(Gazetted 25th July, 1950).
1. Short title. These Standing Rules and Orders may be cited as the
Legislative Council Rules, 1950.
INTERPRETATIONS.
2. Interpretation. In these Rules unless the context otherwise requires:
Governor means the Governor and Commander-in-Chief for the time
being of the Windward Islands and includes every person for the time being
administering the Government of the Windward Islands, and except in Rule
29(1) of these Rules includes the Administrator when the Governor is not
present in Council or in Saint Vincent, as the case may be.
President means the Governor or in his absence the Administrator or
in the absence of both the Governor and the Administrator, any member of
the Council appointed by the Administrator in writing, or in default of such
appointment, or in the absence of the member so appointed, the member
present at any meeting of Council who stands first in the order of precedence.
MEETINGS.
3. Sittings of the Council. Subject to the right of the Governor to
summon and convoke the Council at any time, the sittings of the Council shall
ordinarily be held on the first Thursday in each month at the hour of 10 o'clock in
the fore-noon except in the months of July, August and September. Should the
first Thursday in any month be a Bank Holiday then the Council shall meet at 10
o'clock in the forenoon of the next succeeding business day.
4. Notice of Special Meetings. Seven days' notice of any Meeting
of Council not previously fixed shall be issued by the Clerk of the Council to each
Member, but in cases of urgency the Governor may dispense with the necessity
for the notice. Should, however, circumstances occur to render a Meeting on any
day appointed for the same inconvenient, the Council may be adjourned to such
day as the Governor shall appoint, by notice in writing, to be issued to eachl
eerb~~ Clerk at least one day prior to the day which had been appointed.
16,64W ul..co
150
5. Orders of the Day. Whenever possible notice of the Orders of the
Day shall be issued to each Member so that at least four days shall elapse between
the issue of such notice and the day of the Meeting of Council. If the interval
between two meetings of Council does nbt admit of such notice being given, then
whenever possible notice of the Orders of the Day of any Meeting of Council shall
be given on the day next following the preceding Meeting.
6. Opening of Proceedings and Quorum. As soon as five
Members besides the President shall be present after the hour appointed for the
Meeting of Council, the President shall take the Chair, and prayers shall be said.
If the Minutes of the last Meeting shall have been previously circulated among
Members, their confirmation shall be proposed. If the Minutes have not been
previously circulated the Clerk shall read them; and in either case they shall,
after being approved or if necessary amended, be confirmed.
7. Absence of Quorum. Should a quorum not be present at the
expiration of twenty minutes from the time for which the Council shall have been
summoned on any particular day, the Meeting shall stand adjourned to the next
following day (not being a Sunday or Public Holiday) at the hour originally fixed.
8. Amendment of Minutes. Any Member desiring the Minutes to be
corrected shall, if the Minutes are not read, propose such correction immediately
on the question being put that Minutes be confirmed, or, if the Minutes are read,
shall propose such question immediately after the reading, and such correction
shall be forthwith admitted or rejected by the Council.
9. Protests. Any Member may protest in writing against any decision of
the majority of the Council, provided he gives notice of his intention immediately
after such decision, and that such written protest be delivered to the Clerk within
three days. Such protest shall be laid before the Council and be forwarded without
undue delay to the Secretary'of State for the Colonies. It shall be competent for
the Council to expunge any passage deemed offensive in such protest.
DUTIES OF THE CLERK.
10. Duties of the Clerk. (1) The Clerk of the Council shall read all
matters brought before the Council.
(2) The Clerk shall keep the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Council, and
of Committees of the whole Council, and shall circulate a copy of such Minutes if
possible on the day following the meeting of the Council.
(3) Minutes shall record the names of members attending, all decisions of the
Council, whether made formally or informally, and shall be signed by the
President.
(4) In the case of divisions of the Council or Committee of the whole Council
the Minutes shall include the numbers voting for and against the question, and
the names of members so voting.
(5) The Clerk shall be responsible for the custody of all votes, records, bills,
and other documents laid before the Council, which shall be open to inspection by
members of the Council and other persons under such arrangements as may be
sanctioned by the President.
151
(6) The Clerk shall send to each member a written notice directing attention
to the Proclamation summoning thz Council.
(7) The Clerk shall read all minutes of previous meetings unless such minutes
have been previously circulated.
ORDER OF BUSINESS.
11. Order of Business. Unless the Council otherwise direct, the
business of each sitting day shall be transacted in the following order :-
1. Prayers,
2. Oath of Allegiance of a new Member.
3. Minutes.
4. Announcements.
5. Notices of Motions given orally.
6. Petitions.
7. Papers.
3. Questions.
9. Motions that may be made before Public Business without notice.
10. Motions that may be made at the commencement of Public Business
requiring notice.
11. Motions for leave to introduce Bills.
12. Presentation of Bills without leave of the Council first obtained.
PUBLIC BUSINESS.
12. Petitions. (1) Every petition intended to be presented to the Council
must conclude with a prayer setting forth the general object of the Petitioner,
(2) A petition shall not be presented to the Council unless it shall have been
endorsed by the Clerk as being in accordance with the Rules then in force it
regard to Petitions.
(3) The Member presenting a Petition may state concisely the purport of the
Petition.
(4) All Petitions shall be ordered to lie upon the Table without Question put
unless a Member when presenting a Petition moves for. it to be read, printed or
referred to a Select Committee.
(5) The Council will not receive any petition :-
S (a) Which is not addressed to the Council and which is not properly and
respectfully worded.
(b) Which has not at least one signature on the sheet on which the prayer
of the Petition appears and which has not at least the prayer at the
head of each subsequent sheet of signatures.
(c) Which asks for a grant of public money or the release of a debt to public
funds unless the recommendation of the Governor thereto has been
signified.
(d) Which does not conform with such rules as may from time to time be
prescribed.
152
:13. Papers. (1) All papers shall be presented by an Official Member of
the Council and their representation shall be entered upon the Minutes.
(2) A Member presenting a paper may make a short explanatory statement of
its contents.
(3) All papers shall be ordered to lie upon the Table without question put and
any motion for the printing thereof shall be determined without amendment or
debate.
(4) All Rules and Orders made by the Governor in Executive Council under
the authority of an Ordinance, which do not require the approval of the
Legislative Council, shall be laid on the Table as soon as may be after being made.
14. Questions. (1) Questions may be put to Official Members relative to
public affairs with which they are officially connected, proceedings pending in the
Council, or any matter of administration for which such Members are responsible.
(2) Questions may also be put to other members, relating to a Bill, Motion, or
other public matter connected with the business of the Council for which such
members are responsible.
(3) A Question shall not contain arguments, inferences, opinions, imputations,
epithets, ironical expressions, or hypothetical cases.
(4) A Question shall not include the names of persons, or statements, not
strictly necessary to render the question intelligible, nor contain charges which
the Member, who asks the question, is not prepared to substantiate.
(5) A Question must not be asked for the purpose of obtaining an expression
of opinion, the solution of an abstract legal case, or the answer to a. hypothetical
proposition.
(6) The reply to any question may be deferred to the next meeting of the
Council unless the Member asking the question shall have given not less than five
clear days' notice in writing of his intention to ask the same.
(7) No answer shall be given to any question when such answer would, in the
opinion of the President, be inimical to the public interest.
(8) A question shall be put by referring to the number it bears on the Orders
of the Day.
15. Manner of asking question. (1) A Question shall not be asked
without notice unless it is of an urgent character and the Member has obtained
the leave of the President so to ask it.
(2) A Question must not be made the pretext for a debate, nor can a question
fully answered be asked again within a period of three months thereafter.
(3) A Member may ask a supplementary question for the purpose of further
elucidating any matter of fact regarding which an answer has been given; but a
supplementary question must not be used to introduce matter not included in the
original question.
16. Public Business. (l) Government Businais shall be set down in
sucln order as the Government think fit.
(2) Private Members' Motions shall be set down in the order in which notice
of each motion was given.
63
17. Manner of giving Notices. (1) Where under any Standing
Rule notice is required, such notice shall be given by being handed in at the Table
uu~ing the sitting of the Council or by delivery at the office of the Clerk within the
normal office hours.
(2) Any such notices shall be printed and circulated to Members of the
Council and to officers of departments in the manner prescribed by the President
on a day not less than four days before the next meeting of the Council.
(3) The Clerk shall indicate the day upon which a notice was handed in,
unless it be a notice for the next meeting of the Council or an amendment to a
Bill.
(4) Any such notice shall be printed in the form in which it is handed in or
with such modifications or alterations as the President shall direct.
(5) Motions or amendments sent to the Clerk shall be printed and circulated
by him, even if they be matters notice of which is not required, and in the case of
amendments to Bills, shall be arranged so far as may be in the order in which they
will be proposed.
(6) A notice given orally in Council, shall not have any force after that sitting
of the Council unless it be supplemented by a notice given in accordance with
paragraph (1) of this Rule.
18. Notice of Motions. Unless the Standing Rules otherwise direct,
notice shall be given of any motion which it is proposed to make, with the
exception of the following :-
(a) A motion by way of amendment to any motion being debated in the
Council.
(b) A motion made in Committee of the whole Council.
(c) A motion for the suspension of Standing Rules and Orders.
(d) A motion of the adjournment of the Council or of any debate.
(e) A motion that a petition be read, printed or referred to a Select
Committee.
(f) A motion that the Report of a Select Committee be referred to a
Committee of the whole Council or be printed.
(g) A motion for the withdrawal of strangers.
(h) A motion for the suspension of a Member.
(i) A motion relating to a matter of privilege.
(j) A motion arising out of the business of the day made immediately after
that business is disposed of and before any fresh matter is entered upon.
19. Dispensing with Notice. Notice shall not be dispensed with in
the case of a motion or in respect of any other proceeding for which notice is
required except with the consent of the President, and the assent of the Members
present at the time.
20. Rules of Debate. (1) A Member desiring to speak shall rise in his
place and address his observations to the President or Chairman.
(2) If two or more Members rise at the same time, the President or Chairman
shall call on the Member who first catches his eye.
(3) A Member may not read his speech, but he may read extracts from
written or printed papers in support of his argument and! may.refresh his memory
by reference to notes. .
154 .
(4) 'A Member must confine his observations to the subject under discussion.
S (5):. Reference shall not be made to any matter on which a judicial decision is
pending, in such a way as may prejudice the interests of parties thereto.
S (6) It shall be out of order to attempt to revive in any debate a, matterupon
which the Council has come to:a conclusion during the previous three months.
(7) A Member'shall, if possible, avoid referring to any other Member by name.
(8) No Member shall impuite improper motives to any other Member ...
; (9)"Except when the Cotiici'be in Committee no Member shall speak more
than once on any proposition before the, Council. except in explanation (as
provided in pararaprai' (10) of this Rule) or to a point of order.or, in. the. case of
the mover of a'substanitive motion, in reply. Any Member who may second a
motion-or amendment in the formal words I second this motion'" and no others,
may reserve his' speech intil later in the debate.
(10)' A Memiber who has spoken to a question may again be heard to offer
explanation of some material part of his speech which has been misunderstood;
but he'must riotintroduce new matter.
... (11) A Member who has spoken may speak again when a new Question has
been proposed from the Chair such as a proposed Amendment or a Motion of the
Adjournment of the Debate.
(12) His Majesty's naine shall not be used to influence the Council.
(i3) The conduct of His Majesty, Members of the Royal Family, the Governor
or Administrator, Members of the Council and Judges or .other persons engaged in
the'admiidistrattioi of justice 'hall hot be raised except upon a substantive motion;
and in any amendment, question to a Member or remarks in a debate on a motion
dealing with any other subject, any reference to the conduct of the persons
aforesaid shall be out of order.
i1.2le Relevancy in' Debate. (1) Debate upon any motion, bill or
amendment shall be relevant to such motion, bill or amendment, except in the
case of a nidtion for the adjournment of the Council, .
(2) When a motion is made for the adjournment of a, debate, onrof the Council
during any debate or in Committee that the Chairman do report. Progress, the
debate upon such a motion shall bdicodfined to the matter of such motion; and a
Member who has made or seconded such a motion shall not be pentitle4 to move or
second any similar motion during the same debate..
---(3) -Where ah amendment prn-poses to leave out wo-ds and insert other words
instead of them, debate upon the first question proposed on the amendment may
include, both the words proposed to be left out and those proposed to be inserted.
(4)'. On an amendment proposing to leave out words or to insert words, debate
shall be confined to the omission or insertion of such words respectively.
22. Previous Question. (1) When a motion, whether it has been
amended or not, is under consideration by the Council, the Previous Question may
be moved. -. '
(2) The Previous Questibn shall be proposed from the Chair in the form that
the' Council do proceed to the Orders di the'fl y; of the next Order of the Day, or
the next business on the Paper; as the' base may 'b.
(3) The debate upon the question so proposed shall be confined to the subject
matter theeof.
:155
(4) If the President shall be of opinion that the motion for the Previous
Question is an abuse of the rules he may decline to propose, the question thereupon
to the Coouncil: '- ...'. .. .. ... .: .. .. .. ....
(5) The Previous Question shall not be admissable upon motions relating to
the business of the Council or its adjournment.or in any. Committee.
23. Anticipation. (1) It shall be out of order to make a motion or move
an amendment dealing with the subject matter of a bill or other Order-of the day
appointed for consideration; and an amendment shall-also be out of order if it
deals with the subject matter of a motion of which notice has been given.
(2) An Order of the Day, notice of motion or amendment of which notice has
been given shall not be anticipated in a debate upon a motion for the adjournment
of the Council or in any other debate.
24. Termination of Debate. (1) 'No Member may speak to any
Question after the same has been fully put by the President or Chairman.
(2) A Question is fully put, when the President or Chairman has collected the
Voices both of the Ayes and the Noes.
25. Personal Explanation. By the indulgence of the Council, a
Member may make a personal explanation, although there be. no, question before
the Councils but'no debatable matter'may be brought forward, or Debate arise
upon the explanation.
26. President to be heard in silence. Whenever the President, or
the Chairman, rises during a debate any Member then speaking, or offering to
speak, must sit down, and the Council or Committee is to be silent so that the
President, or the Chairman may be heard without interruption.
27. Responsibility for Order. The President in Council and the
Chairman in any Committee shall be responsible for the.observance.of the rules of
order in the Council and Committee respectively and their decision upon any
point of order shall not be open to appeal and shall not be reviewed by the Council
except on a substantive motion made after notice.
28. Breaches of Order. (1) If a Member show disregard for the
authority of the Chair, or abuse the rules of the Council by persistently and
wilfully obstructing the business of the Council, or otherwise, the President shall
direct the attention of the Council to the incident mentioning by name the
Member concerned. A motion may then be made upon which the President shall
forthwith put the question (no amendment, adjournment or debate being
allowed) That such Member be suspended from the service of the Council." If
such an offence shall have been committed in a Committee of the whole Council,
the Chairman shall forthwith suspend the proceedings of the Committee and
report the circumstances to the Council; and the President shall on a motion*
being made thereupon put the same question without amendment, adjournment
or debate as if the offence had been committed in the Council itself.
(2) Not more than one Member shall be. named at. the same time unless
several Members present together have jointly disregarded the authority of the
Chair.
156
(3) If a member be suspended under the provisions of this Rule his suspension
shall last until determined by the Council.
(4) The President or Chairman, after having called the attention of the
Council or Committee to the conduct of a member who persists in irrelevance or
tedious repetition either of his own arguments or of the arguments used by other
members in debate, may direct the member to discontinue his speech.
(5) The President or Chairman shall order members whose conduct is grossly
disorderly to withdraw immediately from the Council Chamber during the
remainder of the day's sitting.
(6) If a direction to withdraw under paragraph (5) of this Rule be not
complied with at once or if on any occasion the President or Chairman deem that
his powers under that paragraph are inadequate he may name such member or
members in pursuance of paragraph (1) of this Rule.
(7) The President or Chairman whether acting under paragraph (1) or (5)
of this Rule may direct such steps to be taken as are required to enforce his Order.
(8) Members who are suspended under paragraph (1) of this Rule or are
directed to withdraw under paragraph (5), shall forthwith withdraw from the
precincts of the Council Chamber.
(9) Nothing in this Rule shall be deemed to prevent the Council from
proceeding against any member for any breach of Order not specified herein or
from proceeding in any other way it thinks fit in dealing with the breaches of
Order herein mentioned.
29. Voting. (1) Subject to the provisions of section 39 of the St. Vincent
(Legislative Council) Order in Council, 1936, all questions proposed for decision in
the Council shall be determined by a majority of votes of those present and
voting. If the Governor is present at the Council the Administrator shall not
have a vote on any question, and the Governor shall nothave an original vote but
he shall have a casting vote if the votes shall be equally divided. In the absence
of the Governor from the Council the Administrator shall not have an original
vote on any question, but shall have a casting vote if the votes shall be equally
divided. In the absence of the Governor and the Administrator the member
presiding shall have an original vote and a casting vote if the votes shall be
equally divided. The votes of Members of the Council shall be taken in the
inverse order of their precedence.
(2) 'At the conclusion of a debate the question shall be put by the President
and the votes may be taken by voices Aye and No and the result shall be declared
by the President, but any Member may claim a division when the votes shall be
taken by the Clerk asking each Member separately how he desires to vote and
recording the votes accordingly.
(3) When a division is claimed either in Council or in Committee of the
whole Council or in a Select Committee every Member present shall, unless he
expressly state that he declines to vote, record his vote either for the Ayes or
Noes. The Clerk shall enter on the Minutes the record of each Member's vote,
and shall add a statement of the names of Members who declined to vote.
(4) As soon as the Clerk has collected the votes the President, or in Committee,
or a Select Committee, the Chairman, shall state the Members voting for the Ayes
and the Noes respectively and shall then declare the result of the division or give
his casting vote as the case may be.
157
(5) If a Member state that he voted in error or that his vote has been counted
wrongly, he may claim to have his vote altered, provided that such request is
made as soon as the President has announced the numbers and before he shall
have'declared the result of the division.
(6) A Member shall not vote on any subject in which he has a direct personal
pecuniary interest, but a motion to disallow a Member's vote on this ground shall
be made only as soon as the numbers of the Members voting on the question shall
have been declared. If the motion for the disallowance for a Member's vote shall
be agreed to, the President or in Committee the Chairman shall direct the Clerk
to correct the numbers voting in the division accordingly. In deciding whether a
motion for the disallowance of a Member's vote shall be proposed from the chair,
the President, or in any committee of the Council the Chairman, shall have
regard to the character of the Question upron which the division was taken, and to
the consideration whether the interest therein oi the Members whose vote is
challenged is direct and pecuniary and not an interest in common with the rest of
His Majesty's subjects, and whether his vote was given on a imtter of state policy
PROCEDURE ON BILLS
30. Notices regarding Bills. (1) Not less than seven days notice
shall be given of the presentation of a Bill or of a motion for leave to bring in a
Bill.
(2) The question of leave may be debated and, if leave be granted, the Bill
may be introduced and its provisions explained either immediately or at any time
within the next six months.
(3) If a certificate of urgency signed by the President shall have been laid on
the table, any Bill mentioned in such certificate may be introduced without notice.
31. Introduction and first reading. (1) Any Member may move
for leave to introduce a Bill of which he has given notice, but a Bill may be
presented to the Council on behalf of the Government after notice without an
order of the Council for its introduction.
(2) A Bill, whether presented in pursuance of an order of the Council after
leave given or without such order, shall be handed to the Clerk at the table by the
Member who gave notice of the Bill. The Clerk shall then read aloud the short
title of the Bill which shall then be deemed to have been read the first time, and
shall be ordered to be printed without question put.
32. Appointment of days for stages of Bills. At the conclusion of
the proceedings on the first reading or on any subsequent stage of a Bill, the next
stage shall be appointed for a day to be named by the Member in charge of the
Bill.
33. Printing and circulation of Bills. (1) The Clerk shall be
responsible for the printing of Bills from the draft handed to him by the Member
in charge of the Bill, and he shall satisfy himself that the following rules are
observed :-
(a) That the Bill is divided into successive clauses numbered consecutively;
(b) That the Bill has in the margin a short summary of each clause; and
(c) That the provisions of the Bill do not go beyond its title.
158
(2) As soon as possible after the printing of the Bill the Clerk shall circulate
a Copy to every Member. The Bill may be accompanied by a short explanatory
statement of its objects. ..
(3) If the expenditure of public monies be involved in the Bill an estimate of
the probable cost to the Colony shall be supplied by the Member and circulated
with the Bill.
(4) The Clerk shall as soon as may be cause every Bill to be printed in at
least one issue of the Gazette.
34. Second reading of Bills. (1) 'No Bill shall be read a second
time before the expiration of seven days from the date of its publication and
circulation to Members, unless the President, in a signed certificate laid upon the
table or otherwise communicated to the Council, shall have declared that the
suspension of this order is in the case of the Bill specified in his certificate in the
public interest.
(2) On the order for the second reading of a Bill being read, a motion may be
made that the Bill be now read a second time, and if seconded a debate may arise
covering the general merits and principle of the Bill.
(3) On the second reading of a Bill, an amendment may be proposed to the
Question That the Bill be now read a second time to leave out the word now"
and add at the end of the Question upon this day three months ", or some other
date, or an amendment may be moved to leave out all the words after the word
"that" in order to add words stating the objects and motive on which the
opposition to the Bill is based, but such words must be strictly relevant to the Bill
and not deal with its details.
(4) Similar amendments may be moved on the third reading of the Bill.
35. Committal of Bills. When a Bill has been read a second time it
shall stand committed to a Committee of the whole Council, unless the Council on
motion refer it to a Select Committee. Such motion shall not require notice but
must be made immediately after the Bill is read a second time and may be
proposed by any Member.
36. Scope of amendments in Committee. Any committee, to
which a Bill may be committed, shall have power to make such amendments
therein as they shall think fit provided the amendments be relevant to the subject
matter of the Bill; but if any such amendments shall not be within the title of the
Bill they shall amend the title accordingly, and shall report the same specially to
the Council.
37. Procedure in Committee on Bills. (1) The principle of a Bill
shall not be discussed in Committee but only the details.
(2) The Chairman of the Committee shall call the number of each Clause in
succession and if no amendment be offered thereto, or when all proposed
amendments shall have been disposed of, shall proceed to the Question That the
Clause (or Clause as amended) stand part of the Bill."
(3) All amendments proposed to the Bill either in Committee of the whole
Council or in a Select Committee, of which notice has not been given, shall be
handed to the Chairman in writing.
159
(4) No amendment shall be moved which is inconsistent with any clause
already agreed upon or any decision already come to by the Committee, and the
Chairman may at any time during the discussion of a proposed amendment
withdraw it from the consideration of the Committee if in his opinion the
discussion shall have shown that the amendment violates the provisions of this
Rule.
(5) A Clause may be postponed, unless upon amendment thereto a question
shall have been fully put from the Chair.
(6) Postponed Clauses shall be considered after the remaining Clauses of the
Bill have been considered and before new Clauses are brought up.
(7) If a Clause be disagreed to, a new Clause instead thereof, may be brought
up after remaining Clauses of the Bill have been disposed of.
(8) New Clauses may be offered before the Schedule to the Bill are considered,
and shall be read the first time without question put. The questions which follow
thereupon shall be That the Clause be read a second time and that the Clause
(or the Clause as amended) be added to the Bill."
(9) New Schedule may be offered after the Schedules to the Bill have been
disposed of, and shall be treated in the same manner as new Clauses.
(10) When every Clause and Schedule and proposed new Clause or Schedule
have been dealt with, the preamble, if there be one, shall be considered and a
question put That this be the Preamble of the Bill."
(11) If any amendment-be necessary to the Title of the Bill it shall be made
at the conclusion of the proceedings detailed above.
(12) At the conclusion of the proceedings the Chairman shall put the question
"That I do report the Bill (or the Bill as amended) to the Council."
(13) Before the proceedings have terminated any Member may move to
report Progress, or in a Select Committee to adjourn, and if such motion be
carried, the Select Committee shall adjourn to a day to be fixed by the Member in
charge of the Bill, and in Committee of the whole Council the Chairman shall
make his report to the Council, and shall ask leave to sit again, and a day for the
resumption of the proceedings shall be named by the Member in charge of the
Bill.
(14) A Select Committee when reporting a Bill may make a Special Report to
the Council explaining their proceedings on the Bill.
38. Re-Committal and Third Reading. (1) When a Bill has been
reported from a Committee of the whole Council it shall be ordered to be read the
third time. f,
(2) When a Bill has been ordered for third reading, any Member who*wishes
to amend or delete any provisions contained in the Bill or to introduce any fresh
provisions may give notice of his intention on third reading to move "That the
Bill be re-committed ". If such motion be agreed to, the Council shall resolve
itself into Committecz immediately, or upon such day as the Member in charge of
the Bill may appoint. When the Bill has been reported, the Council shall then
proceed with the third reading of the Bill unless the Member in charge of the Bill
signify his desire to postpone this stage to a later day.
(3) Amendments for the corrections of error or oversight may, with the
President's permission, be made before the Question for the third reading of the
SBill is put from the Chair, but no amendments of a material character shall be
proposed, and on this point the President's decision shall be final.
160
(4) When a Bill has been read the third time a printed copy shall be submitted
to the Governor for his assent.
39. Governor's amendments. When it shall have been communicated
to the Council that the Governor is prepared to signify the Royal Assent to a Bill
subject to certain amendments, the amendments shall be appointed for
consideration on a future day and on the order for their consideration on that day
being read, a question shall be proposed that the amendments shall be considered
seriatim, and debate and amendments shall be relevant to the amendment under
consideration and an amendment shall not be proposed to the Bill unless it arise
strictly from the acceptance of one of the Governor's amendments.
40. Withdrawal of Bills. The Member in charge of the Bill standing
on the Order Book may make a motion, without notice of its withdrawal, either
before the commencement of public business or on the order of the day for any
stage of the Bill being read.
41. Bills of the same Subject Matter. More than one Bill of the
same subject matter may be introduced but, when the second reading of the Bill
has been agreed to or negatived, the question shall not be proposed for the second
reading of another Bill of the same subject matter during a period of three months
from the date when such second reading was agreed to or negatived as aforesaid.
On the Order of the Day relating to such a Bill being read the President shall
direct that the Bill be withdrawn.
42. Relevancy of Amendments. (1) When any Bill, or clause of a
Bill, or motion is under consideration in the Council or a Committee thereof, an
amendment may be proposed to such Bill, clause, or motion, if it be relevant to the
Bill, clause or motion to which it is proposed.
(2) An amendment may be proposed from the Chair if it be relevant to the
original amendment.
(3) In Committee on a Bill a new clause may be proposed if it be relevant to
the subject matter of the Bill, and when a new clause has been read a second time
an amendment may be proposed to it if the amendment be relevant to the new
clause.
(4) A new clause or an amendment shall not require notice.
43. Seconding of Motions and Amendments. A motion or
amendment shall not be proposed from the Chair in Council unless it shall have
received a seconder, but in Committee a seconder shall not be required for a new
clause or any amendment.
44. Method of putting the Question on Amendments. Upon an
amendment to leave out the words and insert other words instead of them, a
question shall first be proposed from the Chair that the words proposed to be
left out stand part of the question ", and if that question be negatived, the question
for the insertion of the alternative words shall then be proposed, provided that on
consideration of a Bill in Committee the Chairman shall if possible put as the test'
question on an amendment only such words as will not prevent a subsequent
amendment which is in order :rom being moved. If the question so proposed be
negatived, the remainder of the words proposed by the amendment to be left out
shall be deemed to be left out without further question.
45. Withdrawal of Motions or Amendments. When any motion
or amendment has been proposed from the Chair, it may be withdrawn at the
request of the mover if, on the President or in Committee the Chairman, asking
whether it be the pleasure of the Council or Committee that the motion or
amendment be withdrawn, a dissenting voice be not raised.thereto.
46. Select Committees. (1) A Select Committee shall be nominated
by the Council.
(2) A Select Committee shall have power to elect its own Chairman. If the
Member so elected be unable to be present at any meeting, the Committee shall
elect another Chairman whose tenure of office shall be for the day of his election
only.
(3) Unless the Council otherwise direct, three members, or if the number of
the Select Committee does not exceed four, two members, shall form a quorum.
(4) The deliberations of a Select Committee shall be confined to the-matter
referred to it by the Council, and any extension or limitation thereof made by the
Council, and in the case of a Select Committee on a Bill, to the Bill committed to
it and relevant amendments.
(5) A Select Committee shall continue its investigations although the Council
is in recess; and the President may in the case of the death or unavoidable
absence of a member appoint another member of the Council to take the place of
such member on the Committee. Every appointment under this order shall be
announced to the Council at its next meeting.
(6) Select Committees shall have a right to the services of a Clerk.
(7) When it is intended to examine any witnesses before a Select Committee,
the Member of the Council or party requiring such witnesses shall deliver to the
Clerk of the Committee, two days at least before the day appointed for their
examination, a list containing the names, residences and occupations of such
witnesses. The evidence of every witness shall be t-:ken down and when printed
sent in proof to the witness. The witness shall be at liberty to suggest corrections
as may be approved by the Chairman.
(8) Except by leave of the Council no Select Committee of the Council shall
sit while the Council is sitting.
47. Reports from Select Committees. (1) A Bill reported from a
Select Committee shall be re-committed to a Committee of the whole Council
without question put for a day to be named by the Member: in charge of the Bill.
(2) A Report or Special Report from a Select Committee shall be brought up
by the Chairman or other Member deputed by the Committee, and shall be ordered
to lie upon the Table unless any Member of the Council meve that it be referred to
a Committee of the' whole Council.
(3) Any Member of the Council may move that a Report from a Select
Committee, or that a Bill as amended in a Select Committee be printed.
102
48. Publication of Evidence. The evidence taken before any
Committee of the Council, and any documents presented to such Committee which
have not been reported to the Council, shall not be published by any Member of
such Committee or by any other person.
49. Practice of Parliament. (1) In cases of doubt the Standing
Rules of this Council shall be interpreted in the light of the relevant practice of
the Commons House of Parliament of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
(2) In any matter for which these Standing Rules do not provide the said
practice shall be followed, but no restrictions which the House of Commons has
introduced by Standing Order shall be deemed to extend to the Council or its
Members until the Council has provided by Standing Rule for such restriction.
50. Financial Procedure. (1) The Council shall not proceed upon
any petition, bill, amendment or motion, by which a grant of public money is
sought, a charge imposed upon public funds, or- a tax or other impost is levied,
unless such grant, charge or tax shall have been proposed by, or by the direction
of, the Governor or shall have had his express approval.
(2) More than one stage of a bill, embodying such grant, charge or tax, shall
not be taken at one sitting of the Council, unless the Governor certifies that such
a course is necessary in the public interest.
51. Suspension of Standing Rules. A Question the object or
effect of which may be to suspend any Standing Rule of the Council shall not be
proposed except with the consent of the President, either after notice given or
after the expression of the general assent of the Council.
52. Absence of Members. (1) Any Member who is prevented from
attending a meeting of the Council shall acquaint the Clerk as early as possible of
his inability to attend.
(2) If any Mlember intends to absent himself from the sittings of the Council
for three months, he must previously obtain leave of the Governor.
53. Employment of Members in Professional Capacity.
No Member of the Council shall appear before the CJuncil or any Committee
thereof, as Counsel or Solicitor for any party, or in any capacity for which he is to
receive a fee or reward.
54. Strangers. Strangers shall be admitted to debates in the Council
Chamber under such rules as the President may make from time to time for that
purpose, provided that if any Member take notice that strangers be present, the
President, or in Committee the'Chairman, shall put forthwith the question That
strangers be ordered to withdraw ".
55. Press. The President may grant a general permission to the
representative of any journal to attend the sittings of the Council provided that,
if the journal publish a report of the proceedings which the President considers
~unfair, such permission may be revoked.
163
56. Standing Committee on Finance. (1) There shall be a
Standing Committee on Finance of which the Administrator and Treasurer shall
be ex-officio Members, and all the Unofficial Members of the Council shall be
Members. Of the Standing Committee the Administrator shall be ex-officio
Chairman but only the Unofficial Members shall possess votes.
(2) The Standing Committee on Finance shall sit at such times as may be
determined by the Chairman, not less than forty-eight hours notice of each
meeting being given to the Members.
(3) The Chairman and not less than one half of the Unofficial Members of
the Standing Committee on Finance shall constitute a quorum.
(4) All votes entailing expenditure from public funds for which the sanction
of the Legislative Council is necessary shall be considered by the Standing
Committee on Finance before they are submitted to the Council for its acceptance.
(5) At each meeting of the Council it shall be the duty of the Chairman of
the Standing Committee on Finance to present to the Council the Minutes of the
Committee.
(6) Each item of expenditure that has been approved by the Committee shall
be specifically submitted for the approval of the Council. Nd item of expenditure
which has not been approved by the Committee shall be submitted for the
consideration of the Council unless a Motion to that effect be made otherwise.
57. Adjournment. A meeting may be adjourned at any time by a vote
of the majority of the Members, or by the President if he shall think fit.
58. Debate on Motion for Adjournment. On the motion for
adjournment of the Council any Member may rise and speak on any matters of
public importance up to a limit of ten minutes.
59. Revocation. The Standing Rules and Orders of the Legislative
Council of Saint Vincent at present in force are hereby revoked.
Made by the Legislative Council under section 44 of the Saint Vincent
(Legislative Council) Order in Council, 1936, this 17th day of July 1950.
1950.
HENRY H. WILLIAMS,
Clerk of Legislative Council.
(J 53/1939)
Approved this 22nd day of July, 1950.
W. F. COUTTS,
Administrator.
PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER AT THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE,
KINGSTOWN, ST. VINCENT.
[ Price 30 cents. I
1950.
STATUTORY RULES AND O S,
1950, No. 61.
PUBLIC LIBRARY REGULATIONS.
(Gazetted 25th July, 1950).
1. Short title. These Regulations may be cited as the Public Library
Regulations, 1950.
2. Interpretation. In these Regulations-
Committee means the Library Committee established under the provisions
of section 6 of the Ordinance;
book" means any book, periodical, newspaper, pamphlet, picture, print,
photograph, map, cnaru, plan or manuscript, or any other article of a
like nature forming part of the ccn.ents of a library operated under
these Regulations;
book-van" means a van used for the purposes ef a travelling library
operated as a branch of the Library;
"Librarian" means the person appointed as such under the provisions of
section 5 of mne O~aiLianice and includes any person appointed to act and
acting as Librarian;
"Library" has the meaning assigned to it in the Ordinance, and includes a
.lending library, reference lioraly, travelling library and reading room.;
"Library premises includes every room, office, passage, staircase, entrance,
and exit occupied together as one set of premises and used for the
purpose of affording library facilities to members of the Public;
"Ordinance means the Public Library Ordinance, 1950.
3. Library Services. For the purposes of the Ordinance there shall be
established such reference libraries, lending libraries (including travelling
libraries) and reading rooms, for adults, and such lending libraries (including
travelling libraries) and reading rooms for children, as the Governor with the
advice of the Committee shall determine.
4. Responsibility of Librarian. The Librarian shall have the general
charge of all libraries established and maintained under the Ordinance, and shall
be responsible for the safe keeping of the books and property acquired for the
purpose of efficiently carrying on the library services.
:sg.7f qw
, .,s4 -
166
5. Hours of Business. The Committee shall from time to time fix
the days and hours on which library facilities shall be available to members of the
Public, and notices indicating such days and hours shall be displayed in the
respective departments and branches of the Library.
6. Borrowing of Books. Books may be borrowed for home reading
by-
(a) all bona-fide residents of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on signature
of a registration form by which they undertake to read and abide by
the rules of the library;
(b) visitors on payment of a returnable deposit of 10/-;
(c) other persons, at the discretion of the Librarian.
7. Tickets of Membership. Applications for tickets of membership
of the Library shall be made on forms provided for the purpose by the
Librarian, and an applicant shall be deemed to have consented to be bound by the
provisions of these Regulations on signing a form. Tickets of membership shall
not be transferable and the loss of a ticket of membership or the change of
address of a member shall forthwith be notified by the member concerned to the
Librarian.
8. Conditions of Issue and Use of Books. The time allowed a
member of the Library tor reading books shall, unless otherwise notified1, be
fourteen days from the date of borrowing; but the time may be extended for two
successive periods of fourteen days each, on notice being given personally or by
telephone or in writing to the Librarian, provided that any such book is not
requested by another member. A member detaining books beyond the time
allowed shall be liable to a fine of one penny per week or portion of a week for
each book so detained. No member may borrow a book from any lending library
unless duly authoised by the Librarian or one of his assistants.
9. Rights of Registered Members. Registered members shall have a
right of access to that part of any premises which is set apart for the purposes of
a lending library. No other member of the public shall have such right but the
Librarian may, in his discretion, permit the agent or servant of a registered
member access to the said part U1 a.y such premises for the purpose of changing
books for such member.
10. Articles brought into Library. Every person shall, if so
requested by any officer or servant of the Library, leave all handbags, baskets or
similar articles which he is carrying, at the counter before entering the said pa't
of any such premises.
11. Books may be reserved for Members. Any member of the
Library may have a particular book or books (other than a book of fiction)
reserved for him on its return to a lending library by notifying the Librarian
accordingly.
12. Books exposed to Infectious Diseases. No person shall take
out of a library any book for use in any house in which there is a person suffering
from an infectious disease, and no person shall return to a library any book which
167
has been exposed to infection from any infectious disease, but in every such case
shall at once give notice, that such a book has been so exposed, to the Medical
Officer of the appropriate district, and leave the book at the office of the Medical
Officer of Health of the district or hand it over to any Sanitary Inspector acting
on his behalf, who shall cause the same to be disinfected or destroyed. Any
person who contravenes any of the provisions of this Regulation shall be liable on
summary conviction to a penalty of fifty dollars.
13. Use of Reference Libraries. Any person over the age of 14
years, and, with the permission of the Librarian, any person under that age, may
use a reference library. Members' tickets shall not be required for .reference
libraries.
14. Permission to remove Books from Reference Library.
No book shall be taken out of a reference library without the permission of the
Librarian. Except with the permission of the Librarian, no person shall use any
ink in a reference library.
15. Use of Adults' Reading Rooms. No person under 14 years of age
shall use any reading room set apart for adults except by permission of the
Librarian or one of his Assistants.
16. Newspapers and Periodicals. No newspaper or periodical shall
be taken out of any such reading room or be retained for use longer than ten
minutes after it is required by the Librarian or any of his Assistants.
17. Use of Children's Libraries. (1) Children's lending libraries
and reading rooms shall be free to boys and girls of such ages as the Committee
from time to time may decide. Application for tickets of membership of Children's
libraries must be made on forms provided for the purpose by the Librarian, and
each applicant must be recommended in writing on the form by the child's parent
or guardian or school teacher who shall guarantee thereon to make good any
damage or loss and to pay any fines imposed on the child under Regulation 8 of
these Regulations in respect of any book borrowed by him.
(2) The provisions of Regulations 8, 9, 11 and 12 of these Regulations shall
apply in respect of children and Children's Libraries as they apply in respect of
adults and Adult's Lending Libraries.
18. Local Advisory Committees. The Committee may appoint local
committees to advise and assist it in the administration and management of its
branch libraries, and may determine the terms and conditions of appointment to
such committees as well as the numbers of their members.
19. Offences and Penalties. Every person who shall-
(a) engage in audible conversation in any part of any library premises after
having been requested not to do so by an officer or servant of the
Library;
(b) wilfully obstruct. any officer or servant of the Library in the execution
of his duty or wilfully disturb, interrupt or annoy any person in the
proper use of a library;
168
(c) cause or allow any dog or other animal belonging to him or under his
control to enter or remain on any library premises, or bring into any
part of any library premises a bicycle or other wheeled vehicle or
conveyance;
(d) enter or remain in any part of any library premises not set apart for the
use of the public, unless he is an officer or servant of the Library or has
the permission of an officer or servant of the Library to do so;
(e) smoke or strike a light in any part of any library premises;
(f) carelessly or negligently soil, tear, cut, deface, damage, injure or destroy
any book forming part of the stock of a library;
(g) affix or post any bill, placard or notice to or upon any part of library
premises unless he is a duly authorised officer or servant of the library;
(h) enter an:' library premises if he be offensively unclean in person or
dress, or su 'ering from an offensive, contagious or infectious disease;
(i) lie on any be nch, chair, table or floor of a'library;
(j) partake of refreshment on library premises;
(k) give a false name or address for the purpose of entering any library
premises or obtaining any privilege to which a member of the Library is
entitled;
(1) make a tracing of any portion of a book without the permission of the
Librarian or one of his Assistants;
(m) take any book from any lending library unless duly authorised by the
Librarian or one of his Assistants;
shall be guilty of an offence against these Regulations and shall be liable on
summary conviction for every such offence to a penalty not exceeding twenty-five
dollars.
20. Expulsion from Library. (1) Any person who, in the opinion of
the Librarian or in the opinion of any other officer in charge of a Library at the
time, is guilty of misconduct in the Library may be required by the Librarian or
other officer then in charge of the Library, to leave the Library, and if he does not
do so, may be removed therefrom.
(2) Any person who is convicted of an offence against these Regulations or
persistently misconducts himself in a Library, shall be liable at the discretion of
the Committee to be forbidden the use and privileges of the Library during such
time as the Committee shall decide.
(3) Any person who has been requested to leave a Library under the
provisions of subsection (1) of this Regulation shall not be entitled to enter the
Library again on the same day without the permission of the person in charge of
the Library. Should any person so re-enter the Library without the permission of
the person in charge thereof, he shall be deemed to have committed an offence
against these Regulk ions and shall be liable in like manner to the penalty
specified in Regulation 19 of these Regulations.
21. Revocation. The Rules of the Carnegie Public Library made by the
Library Committee on the 20th day of November, 1939, under section 14 of the
Library Ordinance (Cap. 210) are hereby revoked, without prejudice to any
169
offence, penalties, rights or obligations, committed, suffered accrued or undertaken
thereunder prior to the revocation of the said Rules.
Made by the Governor under section 10 of the Public Library Ordinance, 1950,
(No. 4 of 1950) this 21st day of July 1950.
W. F. COUTTS,
Administrator.
(E 18/1950).
PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER, AT THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE,
KINGSTOWN, ST. VINCENT.
[ Price 10 cents ]
1950.
S' 169a
S- SAINT VINCEN
STATUTORY RULES AND ORBERS,; /E-
1950, No. 62. n-"'
P'ICES CONTROL AMENDMENTT NO. 23) NOTICE.
(Gazetted 25th July, 1950).
1. Short title. This Notice may be citpd as the Prices Control
(Am-endment No. 23) Notiee.
2. Amendment. The prices set out hereunder are the Maximum prices
for which the articles enumerated may be sold and the First Schedule Part B to
thli Prices Control Order (S.R. & O. No. 25)- is hereby amended'by deleting all the
cr.:s, iigurcs an symbols occurring in the columns opposite the articles : Beef
-FiCel:]e-Ausl'?on Pesco Brisket," "Butter-Cooking-Australian'Creamery'
Brand," and -utstituthing therefore the following :
FIRST SCHEDULE-PART B.
Article. -V..... .,'i' i Wholesale Price Maxiium Retail Price.
-=-- --"
Area A" Area B" Ara C".
Beef Pickled-
Australian Pesco" .;77.95 per- brl. of 45c. per lb. 46c. per lb. 47c. per .b.
B-isket 200 lb.
39e. per lb. in lots of
20 lb. or more
Butter Cooking- .
Ansti'alian $4 .01 per tin of 90c: per lb. 91c. per lb. 92c. per lb.
'Creamery' Brand 5 lb. __
Area A means the town of Kingstown and within one mile thereof.
Area B means all other places throughout the Colony other than those
mentioned in Areas A" .nd "C".
Area C" means all the villages of Overland, Sandy Bay, Owis, Faney
Windsor Forest and thz St. Vincent Grenadines.
Made by the Corrpetent Authority under section 30 of the Prices Control
Order 1947 (S.R. &-O. No. 25) this 22nd day of July, 1950.
A. V. SPROTT,
(T. 20/1949). Controner sf Supplies.
_9 PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER AT THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE,
KINGSTOWN, ST. VINCENT.
S- Price 2 cts. I
S5 1950.
51564fi'l A.^
47
MIN UTES OF A MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF SAINT VINCENT
HL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER ON MONDAY,.
: .12TH DECEMBER, 1949, AT 10.00 A.M.
BUDGET SESSION.
PRESENT
His Honour the Administrator, W. F. CoUTTs, M.B.E., President,
The Honourable D. K. MCINTYRE, Acting Crown Attorney,
V. D. ARCHER, Colonial Treasurer,
,.. W, A..HADLEY, Nominated Member,
0. D. BRISBANE, Nominated Member,
" E: A. C. HUGHes, Nominated Member,
G. A. MCINTOSIH, Member for Kingstown,
S" E. DUNCAN, Member for North Windward,
.. E. A. JOACHIM, Member for Leeward,
S. F. BONADIE, Member for South Windward.
Absent
The Honourable S. G. DEFREITAS, Member for the Grenadines (excused).
1. PRAYERS.
The meeting was opened with prayer.
2. ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT.
(See Appendix.)
Council adjourns for 10 minutes.
Council resumes.
2A. REPLIES TO THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.
Hon. Member South Windward : I would like to make a few remarks on your
address. I Would first like to congratulate Your Honour for being so forthright
in 'our address:'in telling us the unpalatable truth : the fact that this Colony is
notes' t:fhyj as dreamers seem to believe. Without gloating, Sir, I would like
td'"iifori:h YoiHr Honoiir that Your Honour was not the first to recognize the
position 'of this'Colony and if you will bear with me I will just quote from a
n6wsp'Sier .what was' published in 1947 :-
SCoLoNY HEADING FOR SERIOUS FINANCIAL CRISIS.
Hon. S. F. Bonadie Expresses Fears.
"Fears that the colony is heading for a serious financial crisis were expressed
by Hon'ble St. Clair F. Bohadie at the meeting of the Legislative Coiuicil held on
Thursday of this week.
3 SSn 2^
Speaking on the adjournment Mr. Bonadie said that he felt impelled to
express the view that the Government was, heading for a serious collapse in its
financial position. He warned that if members do not take the greatest care at
the present time St. Vincent will be on the rocks in the next'five years.
Mr. Bonadie said that St. Vincent was not as economically sound as some
members believe. He quoted, a recent report of Dr. A. L. Jolly on the economic
and fiscal structure of the Colony in which the national income of St. Vincent
was stated to be $70.00 per head, of population, as compared with Grenada $120.00
per head, Barbados $150.00 and Great Britain $500.00.
I feel it my duty now to warn this Council that unless members take matters
seriously in hand now, the Colony will soon be unable to meet its recurrent
expenses."
These are stubborn facts that we must realise. I must congratulate you very
much and I only hope members of this Council will buckle down to hard facts and
try and mend all the mistakes that they made in the past by believing that this
Colony is more wealthy than it is. I.am prepared to join with you and try to save
this Colony from the collapse it is heading for.
Hon. E. A. C. Hughes: Your Honour and Honourable Members of Council, I
would like to add my quota of congratulation to you on an address which, while
very often unpleasant in its factual content, nevertheless shows to us here a
statesmanlike ability to face facts and that we should not be stubborn and walk
around with our heads in the clouds waiting for some fabulous thing that may
turn up. As far as I am concerned, I have no excuses to make for my part in the
affairs that we are faced with today. Perhaps some of the blame to a large
extent must rest fairly and squarely on our shoulders. There are, in truth,
certain extenuating circumstances, and it is a fact that in past years we have
been accustomed to having more or less informal Budget meetings at which the
administration's policy was put forth and more or less accepted in toto without
sufficient consideration being given. As an example of this, I do not remember
in my short time here any budget meeting of the-Finance Committee lasting more
than the first day. On this occasion we sat four days and I do not think there is
any member here who is not now, as a result of it, fully aware of the serious
implications contained in Your Honour's address. It has stated the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
I must say that Mr. Jolly's quotation to which the Honourable Member for
South Windward made reference has been for the last couple of years a second
bible to me, and I am glad to see that it is now fully appreciated in all quarters.
Those words which I remember so well are to the effect that for the present you
must concentrate on schemes which will produce revenue directly. When that
revenue has been produced the revenue can be spent on other schemes that do not
have direct and immediate economic effect. The expenditure of taxes for other
more humane purposes must for the moment -be callously rejected. If, and as,
economic development takes place, there will be every reason and every means to
improve social and public services stage by stage on a sure and permanent basis
from public revenue.
Those are strong words, words full of meaning, words written and spoken by
an able man. It is to the shame of all of us that they have not been more readily
adhered to in the past. What is the alternative before us today? Either we must
face these facts and be prepared to get down to them in a statesmanlike manner
and see what can be done by way of retrenchment, or we must look forward with
real disappointment to ultimate Treasury control. I have no suggestion to make
as to what the choice will be. Perhaps I may be greatly excused for quoting :
"What though this day is lost? All is. not lost. It is better to reign in hell than
serve in heaven." I am not comparing our beautiful little island to hell, but even
though this day has come, all is not lost, and in my mind to keep our powers here
with all attendant sacrifices is itself better than to serve under the restrictive
and frustrating burden of Imperial Treasury Control.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : Your Honour and Honourable Members of Council, I
must add my quota to what has been said by previous speakers. Your Honour
must be .commended for that speech. What you told us, though hard to many of
us and to the general community and a picture we would not like to be presented
to us, took a man of your courage to do, and we feel that you must have had the
interest of the Colony at heart to have taken the time to prepare such an address
and put before this Colony this picture which gives us something to ponder over.
It is for those of us who have anything in us to tighten our belts, and like tigers go
forward, and see that conditions improve. I sincerely hope that it will be the
endeavour of all members of Council and the community at large to assist Your
Honour in trying to salvage this Colony from any further difficulty or from
bankruptcy.
For many years when we listened in the past to Budget addresses, we always
hoped that the forthcoming year would see changes for the better. We know that
the present position is brought about by world conditions. We are just a little
cog in the wheel, but every cog must bear its weight and feel the pinch when
things are bad. This has fallen on the world, the sterling world, and we are
feeling our share. We have done what we felt in the past was our duty. There
were many of us who did not agree with certain policies of Government, but we
hoped that conditions would not fall so suddenly, but conditions have fallen;
things have changed, and-we must realise that that is the chief thing before us :
to realise present-day conditions and change any feeling that we have of thinking
that things are nice and rosy; to change our minds and work accordingly; support
the head of the Administration and everybody who has to do something so that
this Colony should be saved from the conditions. In this respect I offer my
congratulation to you for telling us the facts so that we should be fore-warned
and see conditions before we fall into what we will definitely fall into unless we
change our habits.
Hon. W. A. Hadley: Your Honour, I congratulate you on your excellent
speech. We needed very badly a warning of this sort for the public themselves to
realize the condition of things. A few of us have been trying for a long time, but
I do not think the public yet realize, I don't think even some of us realize the
financial position. I must congratulate Your Honour for making such an
excellent statement so that everyone can see plainly, the public are interesting
themselves in our affairs, and if they can see the true picture they can help us.
Hon. Member Leeward: Your Honour and Honourable Members of Council,
it gives me great pleasure to congratulate Your Honour on your excellent address.
It bears testimony to Your Honour's interest in the affairs of this island. You
touched on all things and saw only the welfare of St. Vincent and it is indeed a
comprehensive report.
The Budget offered many difficulties, the chief among which was the
insufficient revenue to cope with the matters of the island. New revenue sources
have to be tapped in the light of modern requirements. Only so can we hope to
balance our budget. R.ow we shall fare depends very much on,.the.p.spport, of
every citizen. As I said. at the Budget Session and am saying now, some of the
departments are heavily overstaffed and immediate measures must be taken to
cut down expenditure in this direction. We must get more out of.the land,,, St.
Vincent is an agricultural Colony and agriculture.is the basis of our economic
structure, and the.reoru I urge the Lstablishment of a strong and tri.ig.e.pasant
proprietorship and introduction of what is, called in America. 1..e-a~c4g.
There is need to develop cooperative efforts. It is also necessary to improve our
essential services such as water, electricity, transportation, -and communications
generally. As to tranispottation and communications, my view is that all,parts
of the island should be opened up and roads should be .improved so as to enable
peasant proprietors, fishermen, and' others to -bring their, goods,into the.. open
market. This island is facing a grave economic crisis and it is -for us, to.get
together and work together for the common good. .
This is a time. of testing for all of us, for leaders'as well as others, for the
upper and educated classes as well'as the masses, and We must not-fail. ,We can
only succeed by using all our energy, afld directing all our faculties to the
improvement, of our standards of labour and duty. This, of course, means the
improvement of ourselves. Well, then, let us go forward together with faith.in
God, in ourselves, and in our fellow men around us.
Hon. Member N. Windward : Your Honour, I too must congratulate. you..on
the address you have delivered this morning,. showing your: ability to grasp. the
situation clearly, and the Colony and the Council have to be. thankful to Your
Honour for drawing what we feel is a true picture of -the presentsituatioA;. but I
am not going to be pessimistic; I am not going to be down-hearte.d. 1.Crises, like
this have happened in the past in this colony and in other places. As far -as. our
Couilcil and our Colony are concerned, this crisis is not the first,.and it will not
be the last. I am not going to say that all that has happened has happened
because this Council was not careful. I am not going to say that at all. I am
saying this :
that what has happened has happened as part of a world crisis apd
it is our duty. to set the, teeth, grasping the situation, and marh' on to
conquer the difficulty. I am not down-hearted. St. Vincent will not go uiider.
With your help, Sir, with your insight into finance, with your evident ability we
hope, nay we know we shall pass through the crisis successfully. Ifeel satisfied
that this Colony will weather the storm and I invite this Council and this Colony
to cooperate in all the efforts that have to be put forward. to secure that.this
Colony does not go down.
Hon'ble Member Kingstown: Your Honour and. Honourtab le 1Members of
Council, I do not want to cast, any aspersions on Your Honour,-, .,our., Inour is
new;.. you have. just come to St. Vincent and know nothing,n.~oluh .abut,);he
conditions of St. Vincent and you are no wizard, you cannot perform miracles.
It is for us to be able to guide and advise you. We should not be sitting like babes
and expecting you to do something for us; but I must say you. will, have,, to.learn
something more about the conditions of St. VincentL -The people too, expect ,yu,
as head of the administration, to set some examples whichthey can.lollow., You
have come after a man whom St. Vincent thought a very :capable. Administrator
.nd he has won the confidence of the people, and I think you should .ndeavour
to take some leaves out of his book, perhaps change some, Rf your, associations
you may perhaps be able to follow along his line. I have got thoroughly disgui ed
with the system under which we are working. I think we have failed. We have
not been able to win the confidence of the people. We have not done for the
people what they expect us to do. I know for one that the wealth of St. Vincent
has been put down at about $70 a head but this does not present a true picture
for it is only in the hands of about half a dozen people. The wealth of St. Vincent
is not distributed; neither is the land distributed. Compared with Grenada-
Grenada has distribution of land which makes the people more independent than
those in St. Vincent. Who is to be blamed? After all we cannot take all the
blame; we are under a system dictated from 2,000 miles away and we are bound
to carry out the system that is imposed here upon us.
'I say that this is the most depressing address that I ever had the misfortune
of sitting to listen to, and I regret having to put such a thing out to the people of
St. Vincent. In this address you envisage bringing a Commission to go into the
workings of Government and throw out some people. What are you going to do
with them when you throw them out? It is the duty of Government to find work
for its people. We have drawn up plans of development, where are our plans of
production? You said that people should visit the Agricultural Department. The
Agricultural Department should go td the people and should teach them. For
years I have been asking for this better distribution of land and a scientific
working of same. Many things have been promised to the people and the people
continue to suffer. There are bad conditions, bad everything, resulting in lack of
confidence in the Government. I would like Your Honour to go around among
the peoplebalid listen to what they have to say. Crime is increasing, theft is on
the increase. I would like to know where this is going to end, for the people are
'thoroughly dissatisfied. I heard one man say in the country he ought to have
guns to shoot people when they come to steal; but the theft is in the upper classes.
We have two kinds of theft: the legal and the illegal. The legal theft is when
the people are robbed so that a man can't provide the necessaries of life for his
family. That is the biggest theft in St. Vincent and it will continue till
something is done; whether by you or by the British Government it has got to be
done. This system will wreck itself. Britain has been pursuing war and
neglecting her colonies. She has not helped the Colclies to the extent she should.
If we didn't have a riot she would not remember us. I fear the result of another.
It is alright to talk about devaluation-a capitalist thieving wangle-Britain is
placed in the position where America has her by the throat. I can only see one
way'out of this, and I do not know whether it is in our ability to do it, or how.
You convinced me that I was right when you spoke of Canouan. It is only now
that Government has taken it out of the throes of private e-terprise that Canouan
can lift its head and give hope next year. Until we can get away from
exploitation and get Government to accept its responsibility and take into its
hand the whole working of the.system whereby all the people will be considered,
there is no hope and there will be no better for this country or any other
capitalist country under the present regime. It is for u; to get to know more
about the working people and try and better their conditions. First I ask that
Government bring the minimum wage for private individual upto what Government
is paying and let us make a start on that foundation, id until we get better
distribution of the wealth in St. Vincent there will be no better conditions here.
The whole theory we had whereby we thought that the we:'lthy people should rule
and dominate all is passed and gone. The planters of this Jolony had St. Vincent
in their hahds and are responsible for all that is taking place now. They have
created these conditions that cannot be better until something else is done. I will
remind Your Honour of the words of one writer whose name I do not remember;
52
"The select classes of mankind are no longer rulers of mankind. The
,Governments of the people are in the hands of the common people of the world.
Satisfy them and you will justify their confidence. Fail to satisfy them and
nothing that you can set up will either regulate or steady the peace of this world
-or of St. Vincent.!
3. 'NOTICES OF QUESTIONS.
Hon. Member Kingstown: Your Honour and Honourable Members of
Council, I give notice that I propose to ask the following questions at a subsequent
meeting of Council:-
1. Will Government please consider the provision of additional scholarships
from the Primary Schools to the Secondary Schools-at least two for the
Grammar School and two at the Girls' High School?
2. Will Government please consider the idea of constructing a, certain
number of houses at Montrose, to be constructed of landcrete blocks in
order to relieve the present difficulty experienced by the working people
to obtain living rooms for hire.
3. How soon does Government intend to take steps to provide for a more
equitable system of land tax than is being operated at present?
4. Owing to the difficulty at present experienced by the working people to
obtain food, will Government please legislate for the compulsory planting
of food crops by land owners in the Colony as has been done in other
Colonies?
5. Will Government please take steps to amend the Minimum Wage
Ordinance so that the workers in industry may have the same minimum
wage as is being paid to Government labourers.
6. Will Government please say if in the collection of duty on rum it is classed
as a necessity or a luxury?
7. Will Government please say in either case, what is going to be done to
place the price of rum within the means of the working people?
8. Will Government please state if it is intended to reduce the excise duty on
rum as was intended to be done when the drinking of bay rum is stopped?
9. Will Government please say if the sales price of rum is being controlled
and on what basis is the control fixed?
10. Will Government please furnish for the information of this house the cost
of production of a gallon of rum, the percentages of profits allowed on the
wholesale and the retail disposal of this article?
11. Will Government please account for the shortage of sugar in this Colony
that recently occurred here?
12. Is Government aware of the fact that great difficulty is experienced by
the working people of this Colony to obtain work, and does Government
have any plan to relieve the difficulty and to allay the dissatisfaction that
Sis being expressed on this account?
Hon. Member N. Windward: Your Honour and Honourable Members of
Council, I give notice that I shall ask the following questions at a subsequent
meeting of Council:-
1. Will Government please make a statement to this House as to whether or
not the erecting of a new Hospital on the Montrose Stony Ground" has
been or is to be abandoned?
2. If erection of a new Hospital at Montrose is not to take place, will
Government please state whether the "Stony Ground" area will be sold
out in building lots?
4. NOTICES OF MOTIONS.
There were no notices of motions.
5. PAPERS LAID.
Council Paper No. 28 of 1949-Annual Report on the Agricultural Department,
1948.
Council Paper No. 29 of 1949-Annual Report on the Prison Department, 1948.
Council Paper No. 30 of 1949-Government Savings Bank Revenue and
Expenditure Account, for the year ended 31st December, 1948.
Council Paper No. 31 of 1949-Notes on the Activities and Working of Government
Departments for the year 1949.
Council Paper No. 32 of 1949-Memorandum on Development Programme for the
year 1949.
QUESTIONS AND REPLIES.
Hon. Member Kingstown : Your Honour and Honourable Members of Council,
I ask leave to ask the following questions standing in my name :-
Q. 1. Will Government please say if the people of this Colony come under the
provisions of the Atlantic Charter with regard to Freedom of Religious
Worship?
A. The reply is in the affirmative.
Q. 2. Will Government please state if any recommendation has been received
from the Ministers of Religion or the Secretary of State for the Colonies
as to how to finance our Slum Clearance programme, since those parties
objected to, and stopped the Lottery, by which means it was intended to
have been done?
A. The Secretary of State recommended the raising of funds by means of
straight loans or of increased taxation, but neither of these means is
practicable. This has been pointed out to him and his further advice is
awaited.
The Methodist Church Authorities suggested a Loan Scheme on lines
similar to the National Savings Campaigns employed during the late war
in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Q. 3. Will Government please say what consideration is being given to the
housing problem that exists among the labouring classes in the Colony?
A. The Central Housing and Planning Authority are devoting a great deal of
their efforts to the task of preparing and executing schemes for the
improvement of the housing conditions of the labouring classes.
During the past 21/2 years the inhabitants of four villages-Sandy Bay,
Chester Cottage, Enhams and Cocoa, numbering approximately 300
families-have been rehabilitated in new village settlements. Work has
begun in.re-settling 217 families living at Mount Bentinck and Basin Hole
Villages-the largest rural slum area in the Colony.
Consideration continues to be given to the needs of other districts in
this regard, and, as and when more funds become available, those needs
will be met.
Q. 4. Will Government consider some means of enabling the working people to
share in the profits of industry, either (a) by way of an excess profit tax,
(b) by a higher percentage of tax on the higher income groups, or (c) by
any other means they may devise?
A. This is a matter, in the first instance for adjustment between the parties
concerned, of wages rates and other conditions affecting employment, and
Government is willing to afford any assistance possible in this connection.
Government is also willing to give consideration to any practicable
taxation means of ensuring that Industry contributes in proper proportion
for communal requirements. As a result, however, of strong
representations against the alleged severity of present taxation, principally
Income Tax, a Committee has recently been appointed to survey this
question and a careful study of its findings, when received, will be
necessary to enable such action as may seem appropriate to be .taken.
Q. 5. Will Government once more consider the question of providing food
gardens for labourers throughout the Colony, to relieve the poverty,
misery and suffering that'exists among the working classes in St. Vincent?
A. A total area of 2,400 acres of Crown Lands situated in various parts of the
Colony are at the present time being rented to 3,053 peasant families for
use as food gardens. This is exclusive of land rented out to workers on
the Land Settlement Estates at Leeward and on Canouan and Bequia
which total some 500 to 600 acres.
The Crown Lands and Forestry Division of the Department of
Agriculture have no outstanding applications for food gardens, but
applications for lands for this purpose are continuing and will continue to
receive favourable consideration.
Q. 6, Will Government please pay early attention to the Upper Edinboro Road,
as the residents there complain that it has become intolerable for them,
and during the rainy season access and egress are extremely difficult?
A. The sum provided in this year's estimates for the Roads in the Kingstown
suburban area permit the carrying out of only minor works such as
cutlassing and cleaning on the Upper Edinboro Road. If the Legislature
votes sufficient funds it will be possible to undertake necessary major
improvements during 1950.
Q. 7. Will Government please consider the formation of a Public Utilities Board?
A. Government has been for some time considering the formation of a Public
Utilities Board to control such services as Water Supplies, Transport,
Electricity and Telephones.
It is felt, however, that it is preferable to defer the formation of such
a Board until completion of the new projects Government is undertaking
in these fields.
Q. 8. What steps does Government propose to take against the increasing
menace of gambling and the use of vulgar language openly carried on in
public places?
A. Legislation exists for the control of gambling and obscene language, and
the Police are doing their best to bring offenders before the courts.
Further legislation for the control of gambling machines has recently
been passed by the Legislative Council.
Hon. Member Leeward: Your Honour and Honourable Members of Council,
I beg leave to ask the following questions standing in my name :-
Q. 1. Will Government please take early steps to provide a. wholesome water
supply for the people of DuBois in the Buccament Valley?
A. Work on the water supply at Dubois has been started, and it is hoped, will
be completed before the end of the year.
Q. 2. Will Government please say why no one is appointed in the Leeward
District to serve on the newly formed Road Board?
A. When selections for the Road Authority were made no consideration was
given to any particular district or constituency.
The members of the Board were considered to represent each section
of the entire taxpaying community of the Colony of St. Vincent, with a
view to working out a progressive policy for the improvement and
maintenance of the Colony's road-system.
Q. 3. In view of the increasing volume of traffic on the roads to the Land
Settlement Estates in the North Leeward District, will Government take
the necessary steps to provide for the erection of a bridge at Petit Bordel
in the coming year?
A. The Road Authority has made provision in the 1950 Draft Estimates for
the construction of a bridge at Petit Bordel.
Q. 4. Will Government please take steps to instal a telephone at Rose Bank as
soon as possible?
A. The attention of the Honourable Member is drawn to the reply given to a
similar question by the Honourable Member at a meeting of this Council
on the 19th August, 1948.
Finance Committee considered the matter with the 1949 Budget, and it
was decided that there was not sufficient justification for the expenditure
involved.
The position remains unchanged.
Q. 5. Will Government please take early steps to widen the dangerous corners
in the Leeward District, and to build retaining walls where necessary?
A. The widening of dangerous corners and building of retaining walls on the
Leeward Highway, in common with the entire road system of the Island,
form part of the policy of the Road Authority.
A programme of improvements spread over a period of time has been
prepared, and will be executed in relation to the funds available from year
to year.
Hon. Member S. Windward: Your Honour and Honourable Members of
Council, I beg leave to ask the following questions standing in.my name :-
Q. Y Will Government please state how soon it is intended to build a rural
dispensary and nurse's quarters in the populous Mesopotamia District?
A. A dispensary and nurse's quarters at Mesopotamia are in course of
construction.
Q. 2. In view of the great importance of the positions occupied by the Clerks of
the Legislative and the Executive Councils, will Government please state
definitely the respective positions to be held in the Service by the officers
who are to perform these functions?
A. The positions of (1) Clerk of the Executive Council and (2) Clerk of the
Legislative Council are normally occupied by the respective holders of the
posts of (1) Assistant Government Secretary, and (2) a Principal Clerk in
the General Clerical Service.
BILLS.
President : I now call upon the Honourable the Acting Crown Attorney to
move the second reading of tne Land Settlement & Development Bill; 1949.
Ag. Crown Attorney : May it please Your Honour, I beg leave to introduce
r.nd have read for the second time a Bill for an Ordinance to amend the Land
Settlement and Developiient Ordinance, 1945, shortly entitled "The Land
Settlement and Development (Amendment) Ordinance, 1949."
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Alg. crown iitorney: Owing to the abolition of the post of Director of
Agrnctiure ior cne Windward Islands, it is necessary to provide for the
appointment o some otner person as Chairman of the Land Settlement and
i.uv ipment Boaru a. uie Diirector was ex oficio Chairman of the Board.
This Bill seeks to confer the power of appointment on the Governor in
Council for the purpose required.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a. second time. i I 1Ai
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg leave to move that this Council resolve itself into
a Committee of the whole Council to consider this Bill clause by clause.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to. .. ., ,. A,,
In Committee.
Clause 2-Section 4 (1) (a) of Principal Ordinance Repealed and Replaced.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 1-Short Title and Enacting Clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney: I beg leave to move that Council resume and the
President report to the Council.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Council Resumes.
Report Stage.
President: I have the honour to report that the Bill to amend the Land
Settlement Ordinance, 1945, passed through the Committee Stage without
amendment.
Ag. Crown Attorney : r beg to move that the President's report be adopted.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and'agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the Bill for an Ordinance to amend
the Land Settlement and Development Ordinance, 1945, be read a third time and
passed.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a third time.
President: I now call upon the Honourable Colonial Treasurer to introduce
the first reading of the Supplementary Appropriation (1948) Bill, 1949.
Treasurer : -I beg to introduce and have read for the first time a Bill for an
Ordinance-to-sanction certain payments from the Public Treasury in excess of the
sums granted oy the Appropriation (1948) Ordinance, 1947 (No. 45' of 1947) for
the year ended the 31st day of December, 1948.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
.Bill read a first time.
Treasurer: I beg to move that the Standing Rules of the Council be
suspended..to.allow this Bill.to be taken through all its stages at this meeting of
Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move the second reading of the Bill.
Ag...Crown- Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Council resolve itself into a Committee of
the whole Council to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
In Committee.
Clause 2-Legalisation of Expenditure in excess of Appropriation.
Question put and agreed to.
Schedule : Question put and agreed to.
Clause 1-Short Title and Enacting Clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Committee rise, Council resume, and the
President report to the Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Council Resumes.
Report Stage.
'Presidefit : I have the honour to report that a Biil for ani Ordinialce td
sanction certain payments fiom the Public Treasury ii excess of the Sums granted
by the Appropriation (1948) Ordinarlce 1947 (No. 45 of 1947) for the year ended
the 31st day of December, 1948, passed through the Committee stage of this
Council without amendment.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the President's report be adopted.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Bill be read a third time and passed.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a third time.
President: I now call upon the Honourable Colonial Treasurer to move the
Appropriation (1950) Bill, 1949.
Treasurer : I beg to introduce and have read for the first time a Bill for an
Ordinance to provide for the service of the Colony for the year ending the thirty-
first day of December One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a first time.
Treasurer : I beg leave to introduce and have read a first time a Bill for an
Ordinance to amend the Stamp Ordinance, Cap. 195. The object of this Bill is to
amend the Schedule to the Stamp Ordinance so as to increase the Stamp Duty.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a first time.
Treasurer: I beg to move that the Standing Rules of the Council be
suspended to allow this Bill to be taken through .all its stages at this meeting of
Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Bill be read a second time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Council resolve itself into a Committee of
the whole Council to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
In Committee.
Clause 2-Amendment of Schedule to Principal Ordinance.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 3-Reveal.
Question put and agreed to.
Schedule : Question put and agreed to.
Clause 1-Short Title and Enacting Clause.
President : We decided, if it were agreeable, to ask that the Bill come into
operation on the date of assent.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : On the 1st of January?
Ag. Crown Attorney: It would be difficult to bring it in on the 1st of
January. If it is assented to before the 1st of January it will come into effect on
the 1st. If the 1st of January comes and we go on to the 15th and the Bill is
assented to on the 15th, it would be difficult to collect arrears of Stamp Duties
from the public.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : I accept the argument; I just wished to regularize it.
President : Is it agreed then that the Bill come into effect on the date of
assent?
Agreed.
Question that Clause 1 stand part of the Bill put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Committee rise, Council resume and the
presiding member report to the Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Council Resumes.
Report Stage.
President : I have to report that a Bill for an Ordinance to amend the Stamp
Ordinance, Cap. 195, has passed through the Committee stage of this House
without amendment; and it has been agreed that this Bill should come into
effect on the date of assent or the 1st day of January, 1950, whichever is the later.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the President's report be adopted.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Bill be read a third time and passed.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a third time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg leave to move that a Bill for an Ordinance to
amend the Excise Ordinance, Cap. 188, be introduced and read a first time. The
object of this Bill is to amend the Excise Ordinance (Cap. 188) so as to increase
the licence fees payable for the operation of stills in the Colony, from 5 to 10
per annum.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a first time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg leave to move that the Standing Rules of the
Council be suspended to allow this Bill to be taken through all its stages at this
meeting of Council.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the Bill be read a second time.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that this Council resolve itself into a
Committee of the whole Council to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
In Committee.
Clause '2-Amendment of Section 10 (3) of Principal Ordinance.
Question:put and agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the Bill be amended by the addition
of Clause 3 to read that "This Ordinance shall come into operation on the 1st
day of January, 1950 ", and the addition of a marginal note Commencement ".
Treasurer : I second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 3-Commencement.
Question. put and agreed to.
Clause 1-Short Title and Enacting Clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the Committee rise, Council resume,
and the President report to the House.
Council Resumes.
Report Stage.
President: I have the honour to report that a Bill for an Ordinance to
amend the Excise Ordinance, Cap. 183, passed through Committee stage and was
amended by the insertion of Clause 3 reading "This Ordinance shall come into
operation on the 1st day of January, 1950."
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the President's report be adopted.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the Bill be read a third time and
passed.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a third time.
Ag. Crown Attorney: I beg to move that a Bill for an Ordinance shortly
entitled the Licences (Amendment) Ordinance, 1949, be read a first time.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a first time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the Standing Rules of the Council
be suspended in order to allow this Bill to go through all its stages at this meeting
of Council.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the Licences (Amendment) Bill,
1949, be read a second time.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Ag. Crown Attorney: I beg to move that this Council resolve itself into a
Committee of the whole Council to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
In Committee.
Clause 2-Schedule C of Principal Ordinance Amended.
Ag. Crown Attorney: I have an amendment to make to this Bill. It is
suggested that Schedule C to the Principal Ordinance be amended by deleting
items (a) and (b) thereof and substituting therefore the following :-
(a) Life and Motor Vehicle Insurance ...... 10
(b) Fire Insurance ...... 7. 10.
(c) Any other form of Insurance-for every form of
Insurance ..... 5. -
That is, any other form of insurance does not now include Motor insurance.
"Other forms of Insurances have been raised from 3 to 5; the Fire Insurance
has been raised from. 3 to 7. 10, and the Motor Vehicle Insurance has been
brought into the same category as Life Insurance and both have been raised to
10 per annum.
President: Can we take it that Clause 2, with these amendments suggested
by the Honourable Crown Attorney stand part of this Bill?
Agreed.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I would like to insert Clause 3. This Ordinance shall
come into operation on the first day of January, 1950." Marginal note
Commencement ".
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : Are we supposed to be doing all our business in pounds
or dollars? It should be put in dollars.
President : I agree with Mr. Brisbane that if we are going to convert to
dollars, we should convert everything as soon as possible.
Ag. Crown Attorney : The Principal Ordinance has figures in sterling and
therefore for the sake of uniformity the amendment has been done in sterling.
Question put and agreed' to.
Clause 1-Short Title and Enacting Clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that Council resume and the President
report to the House.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Council Resumes.
Report Stage.
President : I have the honour to report that an Ordinance to amend the
Licences Ordinance, 1940, has passed through the Committee stage with the
following amendment: That in Clause 2 item (a) should now read "Life and
Motor Vehicle Insurance-10 "; item (b) "Fire Insurance-7. 10 "; (c) Any
other form of Insurance for every form of Insurance -5 be inserted; and that
a. further clause, 3, be inserted in the Bill, stating, hat "This Ordinance shall
come into operation on the first day of January, 1950."
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that the President's report be adopted.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Ag. Crown Attorney: I beg to move that the Licences (Amendment)
Ordinance, 1949, be read a third time and passed.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a third time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that a Bill for an Ordinance to amend further the
Customs Duties Ordinance, 1935, be read a first time.
The object of this Bill is to amend the Customs Duties Ordinance (Cap. 184)
so as to increase the rate of duty payable on Bay Rum imported into the Colony
in order to protect the manufacture of locally produced Bay Rum.
The rate of Duty under the British Preferential Tariff has been increased
from 3/- to 10/- per liquid gallon and the rate under the General Tariff has been
increased from 5/6 to 12/6 per liquid gallon.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Hon. Member Kingstown : I would like to abstain from voting on this Bill.
Bill read a first time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Standing Rules of the Council be
suspended to allow this Bill to be taken through all its stages at this meeting of
Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Bill be read a second time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Council resolve itself into a Committee of
the whole Council to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
In Committee.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : This is just a matter of getting a clear picture of the
reasons for increasing the duty of imported bay rum; it is not that you expect to
get any revenue from it? Very little is imported.
President : Practically nothing.
Ag. Crown Attorney : It is just to safeguard the local industry.
Hon. 0. D. Brisbane : In that case I will vote on it.
President: The imported bay rum for the last period available was
practically nil-87 galls. It is not possible by this means to get any greatly
increased revenue. It is not a revenue-producing Bill; it is a Bill introduced to
protect the interest of the local bay rum industry. We are dealing with the
customs duty on imported bay rum, not on bay rum produced locally.
Clause 2-First Schedule of Principal Ordinance Amended.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 1-Short Title and Enacting Clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Committee rise, Council resume, and the
presiding member report to the Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney: I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Council Resumes.
Report Stage.
President: I have the honour to report that a Bill for an Ordinance to
amend further the Customs Duties Ordinance, 1935, passed through the Committee
stage without amendment.
Treasurer : I beg to' move that the President's report be adopted.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that a Bill for an Ordinance to amend further the
Customs Duties Ordinance, 1935, be read a third time and passed.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a third time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that a Bill for an Ordinance to amend the Excise
(Manufacture of Bay Rum and Perfume) Ordinance, 1946, be read for a first time.
The object of this Bill is to amend the Excise (Manufacture of Bay Rum and
Perfume) Ordinance, 1946 (No. 38 of 1946), so as to increase the excise duty
payable on denatured locally produced rum (used in the manufacture of Bay Rum
and Perfume) from the abnormally low figure of 1/- per'proof gallon to a higher
figure-5/- per proof gallon.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a first time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Standing Rules of the Council be suspended
to allow the Bill to be taken through all its stages at this meeting of Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Bill be read a second time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Council resolve itself into a Committee of
the whole Council to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
In Committee.
Hon. Member Kingstown : I would like to abstain from voting on this Bill.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : I would like to ask whether in increasing from 1/- to
$1.20 it has been taken into account that the local rum also be given consideration
(that it be decreased) so that the people who drink locally manufactured rum,
and have probably been substituting bay rum, be given condideratiori by this
G6vehi1nmht.
President: We considered it but thought that we could not reduce our
excise at the moment in view of the revenue figures; but I have been worried
about this and I wonder whether it would not be possible for Government to
reduce the proofage of rum and the people would get a weaker drink. It would
not do any harm, for the proofage here is high. They would get a weaker but
cheaper drink.
lion. O. D. Brisbane : The point is : can the average man go into a shop and
buy a pint of rum for a certain figure?
President : It does not affect the ordinary drinking rum at all.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane: It is stated that the average man drinks bay rum
because the price of ordinary rum is very high. Will Government consider the
question of so reducing or otherwise the duty on local rum so that the price of a
pint or bottle will be reduced to allow the ordinary man to be in a position to buy
a. pint of ordinary rum at a cheap rate?
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to remind Council that we are in Committee to
consider the Bill.
Clause 2-Section 2 of Principal Ordinance Amended.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 1-Short Title and Enacting Clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer I beg to move that the Committee rise, Council resume, and the
presiding member report to the Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Council Resumes.
Report Stage.
President: I have the honour to report that a. Bill for an Ordinance to
amend the Excise (Manufacture of Bay Rum and Perfume) Ordinance, 1946,
passed through the Committee stage without amendment.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the President's report be adopted.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Bill be read a third time and passed.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : Does my question still hold good? That Government
consider the question of going into affairs as regards the sale of local rum which
will give rise to any consideration so that the local person, the user of rum, would
be able to obtain a quantity, a pint or a bottle, of locally manufactured rum at a
price somewhat cheaper than the present price?
President : The Honourable Member will remember, at the Finance
Committee meeting of the 19th July, asking me to enquire into this matter. I did
enquire into it and reported back to Finance Committee that in my view a large
number of people were drinking bay rum which would not do them any good from
a health point of view. As a result of this, when I reported back to Finance
Committee I said that some method should be taken to decrease the price of rum
for the benefit of the man in the street.
When we came to consider the Budget, it was obvious that we could not afford
to lose any revenue by reduction of excise duty on rum as a drink; and the only
suggestion I can make is that we will consider it again in Finance Committee and
decide whether a. reduction of the proofage will assist this problem or not.
Hon. Member Kingstown : One question I would like to ask is whether it
was from a health point of view or a revenue point of view that a decision was
taken at Finance Committee.
President : I would like notice of that question Mr. McIntosh.
The question is again put as to whether the Bill be read a third time and
passed.
Agreed.
Bill read a third time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that Council adjourn until 2 p.m. today.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Council adjourns until 2 p.m.
Council Resumes.
MOTIONS.
President : If honourable Members will refer to the Agenda they will see
that there is an Addendum. I will call upon the Acting Crown Attorney to move
a resolution as regards Scholarships to Secondary Schools.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move the following resolution :-
"That this Council approve the Regulations shortly entitled the Scholarships
to Secondary Schools (Amendment) Regulations, 1949, made by the Governor in
Council on the 5th day of December, 1949, under Section 29 of the Education
Ordinance, 1937."
The whole purport of this amendment is to allow the Governor in Council, in
cases of doubt, to decide (a) when a scholarship holder has ceased to reside less
than 2 miles from the limits of Kingstown, and (b) whether a scholarship holder
is living away from home (i.e. in Kingstown) for the purpose of taking advantage
of the scholarship. When either of the conditions in (a) or (b) are found to
exist, then the scholarship holder will be entitled to receive a maintenance grant
from Government so long as those conditions with regard to residence continue
to exist.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : Your Honour and Honourable Gentlemen, I first have
to ask to be allowed to introduce a resolution, According to our Rules and Orders
it should be proposed within a certain number of days. This was not; so I ask
leave that the resolution be proceeded with.
President: Honourable Members, I have given approval to the Honourable
Member's request that the resolution being proposed by him should be put.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : You have received an Addendum to the Order P!per
asking leave to move the following resolution. There is a slight alteration; thG
resolution reads :-
WHEREAS it is proposed to impose a licence fee of 10/- on Wireless Receiving
dets in the Colony of St. Vincent and also a licence fee of 20/- in respect of dealers
i Wireless receiving sets and
WHEREAS it is unlikely that the total receipts from licence fees as stated
above will be of any consequential contribution to the Colony's Revenue and
WHEREAS it has been and is the policy of H.M. Government to disseminate
knowledge and news by means of Wireless receiving sets, and in this connection
such sets have been provided to the Colony with the assistance of Colonial
Development and Welfare funds and
WHEREAS such fees are not for the purpose of meeting any expenditure by
Government on Broadcasting Services
BE IT RESOLVED that the proposed licence fees be not approved by the
Legislative Council of this Colony."
In making this resolution gentlemen-it actually speaks for itself-I learn
that the total amount expected to be derived from these fees, if put into law, will
not amount to more than 20 to 25, and such amount will hardly assist the
Colony in its present financial difficulties. That is just a simple point, but the
great point is that it has been the principle of H. M. Government (and recently
the Colonial Development and Welfare Organisation has assisted) to give to this
Government and Governments of other Colonies wireless receiving sets issued for
the purpose of disseminating knowledge and assisting in matters of education. I
think there are quite a number of such sets now. Wireless receiving sets are
considered essential for educational purposes and not meant for Government to
impose taxation on them.
Taxation in certain Colonies is imposed on wireless sets, but those places have
broadcasting stations and receipts from wireless receiving sets go towards the
cost to the Government in maintaining broadcasting stations etc. Today radios
are imported into this Colony in very small quantities. The business of importing
radios has not reached the stage where you can find radio shops or musical places
where people carry these as a regular type of business as in other larger Colonies.
The profits made on radios are very small indeed and, with the difficult conditions
that the dealers of radios find for servicing and otherwise, it makes the wireless
receiving set an item of business that is practically very unprofitable, if profitable
at all.
Some years ago a fee of 5/- was collected from each radio sold or used by
owners. That fee was cancelled two or three years ago under the past
administration. All that goes to show that the question of Government imposing
this on wireless sets or dealers in radios is not something we want to press at this
moment. Having radio receiving sets come into the island is a benefit from an
educational point of view.
I don't think I need press this matter very much further than to ask for
someone to support me and to ask for the support of Council that the intended
licence fee on radios be not proceeded with.
Hon. Member S. Windward: I beg to second the motion, Sir.
Like Mr. Brisbane I do not see what grounds we have for imposing a licence on
radios. If you can impose licences on radios, you will want to impose licences on
pianos just now. I do not see we have any moral ground at all, and I support him
in toto. The amount to be collected is in the vicinity of 25. I am not prepared
to do an immoral thing for 25. I second the motion with great pleasure, Sir.
I-, 1- 1 ,
6'?
Hon. E. A. C. Hughes: Your Honour and Honourable Members of Council, I
have listened with great interest and great sympathy to this motion, and the
mere fact that it is not anticipated that the revenue from this item is going to be
large is not in my view an argument against it. I, personally, do not agree that
the revenue will be only 25 p.a. unless something is wrong with the collection. I
do not think the quantity collected should have anything to do with the principle
of taxation or no taxation. The last speaker stated that there are no moral
grounds for imposing the tax. What moral grounds are there for a tax on the
cinema, a man's rowboat, a donkey, or anything else? Why tax a man's boat?
Do you have to upkeep the sea? I quite agree that there should be some
modification that radios which are put in public places, in Police Stations, in the
Grenadines and so forth-Government-owned or sponsored-should be free of
taxation; but whereas I will agree that the radio is occasionally used for
disseminating knowledge, I do not think any more so than the cinema. And, if
we are going to come to brass tacks, the cinema is a form of entertainment, and
the radio is. I regard this as a meagre gesture. I do not think anyone should
object. It is quite true there was this tax some years ago and it was removed.
Why it was removed we do not know; perhaps the Colony was in a better financial
position. My friend, the Honourable O. D. Brisbane, said it was that something
was wrong with the tax. I could use the argument that it was first introduced to
show it was right. For every tax being levied or imposed in the Colony today
some corresponding value is derived. If it is immoral we would have to go
through most of our taxation laws and remove 60% or 70% of them.
My friend said the radio is essential to education. I do not say perhaps it is
not being used on occasion for disseminating knowledge. The donkey is essential
to transport of agricultural produce. It is still taxed. Why? I must point out
that I am one of those who will be affected. I do not say it will affect me very
much. I do not think there is an individual in this island who owns a radio who
cannot pay 20 cents a month into the Treasury of the Colony. Individuals object
strenuously to paying any form of direct taxation. That is something somebody
else must pay. Import duty or export duty is to be paid, but otherwise there will
be strong objection. A licence of 10/- on a radio is not going to make the slightest
difference to the owner. I do not see anything else wrong with this than with any
other form of taxation. I suggest that Governnment radios and any in public
places be exempted. With that exception I am af aid I must vote against it.
President: Section 4 of the draft Wireless Telegraphy Regulations 1949
reads : The Governor in Council may exempt from the provisions of Regulations
2 and 3 of these Regulations any wireless receiving apparatus which is the
property of the War Department or the Government, or of any school, church,
community centre or other institution of a charitable, cultural, educational or
scientific character.
Hon. E. A. C. Hughes: When I saw the words "Wireless Telegraphy
Regulations struck out, I thought there were no Regulations. I am now opposed
to the resolution without any amendment or reservation whatsoever.
Hon. W. A. Hadley : I am not opposed to the tax. The only reason the mover
and seconder have given is that you are only going to get 20 or 25 revenue.
Nobody really knows. The Honourable E. A. C. Hughes has three radios, that is
1. 10. 0; I have three, that is another 1. 10. 0, making 3. I am sure the amount
collected will be more than 25. We will get, I am sure, 50. What is the
objection? The Honourable Member for South Windward said he cannot see any
moral grounds, and I do not agree.
Hpn. Member N. Windward : Your Honour, I rise to support the motion. I
regard the radio as distinctly educational and for that reason principally I am
supporting the resolution. The argument that it is an amusement does not carry
weight at all. From every angle the radio affords instruction and because it is
just a minority of the population that is to be affected and because it is
educational, I donot quite see that we should carry out the intention of collecting
revenue. The Honourable Member for South Windward argues that it is immoral.
It does appear to me that if it is not immoral, it is very nearly immoral; and for
these reasons again I say that I support the motion.
Hon. Member Kingstown: Your Honour and Honourable Members of
Council, I own a radio and I would have to be affected by this taxation, and I am
not going to bring that into the question at all. I do not like to see burdensome
taxation, but I do not believe that the people who own radios can consider 10d a
month is a burdensome taxation. I believe it can be used for educational
purposes. The owners are not concerned with the educational purposes. I think
that is Government's duty. Some time ago as I passed in Grenada, whether it is
Government or the District Boards, they had radios operating. Large crowds
gathered and had education through that means. I asked for a similar thing to
happen here. I think Government should go into that matter and seek
educational facilities from that angle. So far as the owners of private radios are
concerned I see nothing immoral at all about charging people for the pleasure of
owning and operating a radio, and as the Honourable the Nominated Member
said, if we go into the question of taxation on that ground we will find all are
immoral. I think that is a small fee for a person who can afford to keep a radio.
On that ground I find it impossible for me to support the resolution.
My friend said 25 could be collected. More could be; but even if 25 is
collected, I think that could be used for building one labourer's house at Montrose;
it could go towards helping the poverty stricken working class people somehow.
On that ground I cannot support the resolution.
Hon. Member Leeward : I regret that I cannot support the resolution. If a
man is in a position to buy radios, he can pay taxation. The radio is a luxury.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane: Your Honour and Honourable Gentlemen, when I
listened to my friend Mr. Hughes, the Honourable the Nominated Member, in
opposing this resolution, I thought that he was defending a person committed for
some crime-the way he stressed the point and the way he went against this
motion. We know Mr. Hughes is very forceful in his arguments and we have to
commend him for the forcefulness with which he opposed the resolution. I
hardly expected support from my friend on the left because he did not bring this
matter up.
I am sorry that this motion did not receive more support. I am very pleased
that those who supported it are able to see it the way I see it. As I see it for
myself, it is the majority of opinions that this matter should not be proceeded
with. The people should be further taxed, more taxation by Government. There
will be no end of taxation. Any little thing which could have helped to relieve
the situation does not matter. The poor as well as the rich will be taxed, the high
as well as the low. Somebody gives the poorer man a radio and he would like to
play it. My friend next to me has one; it is not those people I am thinking about.
It is the poorer man; a friend might give him the radio; he has to pay for current.
My friend talks about lOd per month, but the man has,to buy current. If he isin
the country, he has got to buy a battery set. A radio someone has given him-
Government puts a tax on it My friend thinks Oh, it is alright, it is just the
rich." It is the poor man who owns a radio who would find the tax very hard to
pay. I am the mouthpiece of a majority of people who think that this motion
should not be proceeded with. That is all I have to say.
Hon. Member Kingstown : Your Honour, I rise on a point of order. The
Honourable Member on my right made special reference to me, saying that I
never support anything I have not introduced. I would like to see the Honourable
Member behave in a decent manner and not attack personalities. I think we can
defend our resolutions without being indecent. I do not think what he has spoken
he can bear out by evidence in this Council. The whole time I have been here I
have been as broadminded as possible in every way. I do not think it is becoming
for a decent member of Council to come here and tell lies.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : Your Honour I have no answer to give.
Motion put to the vote.
For Against
Hon. O. D. Brisbane Hon. E. A. C. Hughes
Hon. S. F. Bonadie Hon. W. A. Hadley
Hon. E. Duncan Hon. G. A. McIntosh
Hon. E. A. Joachim
Official Members abstained from voting.
President : I declare the motion lost by a majority of 4 to 3.
I now call upon the Honourable Member for South Windward to move a
motion standing in his name.
Hon. Member S. Windward: Your Honour and Honourable Members of
Council, I ask that this motion be withdrawn for the time being. I may bring it
back to Council again.
President: The Honourable Member for South Windward has asked that his
motion be withdrawn.
I now call upon the Honourable Colonial Treasurer to move the second
reading of the Appropriation Bill.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Standing Rules of the Council be
suspended to allow this Bill to be taken through all its stages at this meeting of
Council.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg leave to move that a Bill for an Ordinance to provide for
the service of the Colony for the year ending the thirty-first day of December One
Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty be read a second time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a second time.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Council resolve itself into a Committee of
the whole Council to consider the Bill clause by clause.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
In Committee.
President : Before we proceed on this matter I think it my duty to mention
for the benefit of the Honourable Member for Leeward, who was not present at the
most recent Finance Committee meeting, that there has been an amendment to
Expenditure Head 6A, item 15. I want to explain to the Honourable Member that
the reason why this sum was reinstated in the Estimates is that in a discussion
which I had with His Excellency the Governor at Grenada he said that it would
be a very good idea if the existing road programme was not abandoned, more
Particularly as the unemployment situation is getting no better, and that work on
the road would provide employment for labourers during 1950. Members decided
that this item should be reinstated in the Estimates, and if the Honourable
Member has any objections to make I suggest that he make them when we come
to that Head. We will start with the Schedule.
Schedule-Head 1, Head 2, Head 3, Head 4, Head 5, Head 6.
Question put and agreed to.
Head 6A.
Hon. Member Leeward : Your Honour, I have said time and again and I have
argued at the Budget Session that this is very unfair; and I still say that I do not
think the economic condition of the masses will be improved until the Leeward
Highway is improved. The Leeward Highway is a disgrace and nothing has done,
more to retard the progress of the people of St. Vincent. It is disappointing and
surprising to find that no apparent notice has been taken of the repeated
representations made on this subject; and it is amazing how members of the Road
Board and Members of Legislative Council do not seem to realise that the Leeward
Highway is a part of St. Vincent. I say the people of the Leeward District pay
taxes and it is not fair to them; and I think it is unfair not to have someone
appointed from the Leeward District to sit on the Road Board. When the Road
Board was formed, I think Government should have considered this matter and
not have appointed people in the Windward District only to sit on this Board. I
do not think that all things have been taken into consideration. It is only the
Windward tax-payers that have been taken into consideration and not the
Leeward tax-payers.
It is a subtle attempt to undermine the people's confidence in me.
President : This is actually part of the road policy for the Colony as a whole.
The only idea behind this is that the road to Mesopotamia should be completed
first. It is expensive to take machinery backwards and forwards, and therefore
it is better to complete one job before attempting another.
I drove over the road quite recently from Belair to Mesopotamia and I believe
that had we been able to retain the original sum in the Estimates, we would have
been able to complete this road before the end of the year. We have only been
able to retain $16,000. I can assure the Honourable Member for Leeward we could
have completed the Mesopotamia Road this year and started the Leeward Highway
in 1951. It is the financial difficulties of the Colony which are preventing the
Leeward Highway from being constructed. Had things been otherwise, the
Leeward Road could be started in 1951, and it is no attempt in any shape or form
to try and undermine his authority with his constituents.
Do you wish to move any resolution on this item?
Hon. Member Leeward : No, sir. I think that if money was voted for the
Leeward Highway, it should be spent on the Leeward Highway. It is most
peculiar that they did not take into consideration the removal of the equipment
before taking it to Mesopotamia.
President : Is there any further discussion on items under Head 6A?
Can Head 6A stand part of the Schedule?
Agreed.
Head 6B, Head 7, Head 8, Head 9, Head 10, Head 11, Head 12,
Head 13, Head 14, Head 15.
Question put and agreed to.
Head 16.
Treasurer: I would like to move two small amendments.
We recently got instructions from the Secretary of State that there has been
an increase in the contribution to the International Telecommunication Union of
which we were not aware. Item 39 should now be $62 instead of $18 and a new
item, 42-Loan to Town of Chateaubelair-$528.00 added. It was approved this
year but has not yet been paid.
Hon. Member S. Windward : I want to express once more, sir, my disapproval
of this Glen Approved School idea. In keeping with what I have been saying for
the last three or four years, this approved school is a luxury that this Colony
cannot afford. I feel that we are rushing into something that will put this island
further on the rocks in the next two or three years. In my opinion this should be
cut right out (item 40) and also item 41-Contribution towards upkeep of pupils
at Glen Approved School. I move that it should be deleted. I do not agree with
setting up any approved school that this Colony cannot afford. I think the time
has come when we should nip this thing in the bud. The Colony is not rich
enough to afford a luxury like that.
Hon. Member Kingstown: I wish to oppose that. I do not think the
Honourable Member wants our children to grow up as criminals. This is going to
teach them to be citizens. I do not see how the Honourable Member can view
this in this way. The idea is to take these children off the street and prevent
them from being criminals.
President : For the information of members I took up with His Excellency
the Governor the point raised by Mr. Hughes in Finance Committee some time ago
about Grenada's contribution and he has no doubt that Grenada will contribute
once the scheme starts. I made it clear, however, that St. Vincent on no account
was to be left supporting this institution-I am talking about the Glen Approved
Scheme, not the Fair Hall Scheme; I am talking about the senior children. If St.
Vincent is going to be left supporting this by itself, then it was St. Vincent's wish
and my view also that the Senior School Scheme should be abandoned altogether.
But I still support Mr. McIntosh that we should continue with both schemes, if
possible. There is a school of a similar nature in Trinidad which would be
prepared to take the senior children if we were prepared to send them there.
This matter has been fully discussed and your wishes expressed to the
Governor, and he knows full well what the situation is. So, in view of that, I
leave it to you now to decide what should be done.
One member moved that these items be deleted.
Ron. E. A. C. Hughes : I second the motion.
President : Those in favour?
The motion was lost by a majority of four to two ; official members and the
donourable 0. D. Brisbane abstained from voting. The division was as follows:
For Against
Hon. S. F. Bonadie Hon. G. A. McIntosh
Hon. E. A. C. Hughes Hon. W. A. Hadley
Hon. E. Duncan
Hon. E. A. Joachim
Question that Head 16 as amended stand part of the Schedule put and agreed
to.
dead 17. Question put and agreed to.
Head 18.
Hon. Member S. Windward : There is one comment I want to make. There
nas been an amazing increase in crime over the past month. My own house was
raided at one time and I am of the opinion that we have been very unwise to
delete all of the extra constables that we have been asked by the Superintendent
of Police to give him. I think we have been very unwise and, as a result of that,
only one or two policemen can be in the street at night. Sometimes three or four
of them are sick. I ask this Council to re-consider and vote a few more policemen
for the protection of the people in this town.
Hon. Member Kingstown : I regret very much that we had to cut down, and
not only should we increase the number, but I think the men deserve more pay
for the amount of work they have to do. I ask that both these should be done :
that they should be better paid and that the number be increased.
President : Will Mr. Bonadie move a motion as to how many constables?
Hon. Member S. Windward : I am thinking half the number asked for.
President: In actual fact the original request was that the Force should be
brought up to 120. I said I would be prepared to consider for the Budget 1950
increasing it up to 110 and we would then consider whether it was necessary to
increase by a further 10 in 1951. The original number was 17, of which all were
deleted.
Hon. Member S. Windward: I am asking that we increase by about seven
men, otherwise the people in the town would lack the protection they need.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : I am generally in agreement with Mr. Bonadie;
anything that can be done to increase the Force for the sake of protection should
be done.
Hon. W. A. Hadley : I feel that we certainly need more policemen. The
Police Force of St. Vincent is not adequate at all; and when we get people of bad
character coming up from the other islands, we have a lot of stealing in St.
Vincent and they make it very rough for the people of St. Vincent. I agree with
it entirely and more than that, but we could not afford it. If members think now
that crime is increasing and if we can stop that by having a few more policemen,
I agree.
Hon. E. A. C. Hughes: I agree with the last speaker. We have to think of
the financial situation all the time. We first had a motion to cut down taxation
and we now have a motion to increase expenditure. I like the way we are doing
things-remove taxes, reduce the excise duty on rum and increase the number of
policemen I an watching the whole thing with interest.
Ag. Crown Attorney: I would like to make one comment which does not
involve finance. I think the information given us that Trinidad had a senior
school to which we could send children should be very carefully investigated
before we send any of our children to Trinidad.
'President : I am going back to add to my remarks as regards the policemen.
As a matter of fact, when I prepared the Budget originally it was my idea to get
as many extra constables as possible; but the financial position did not allow this.
If, however, Council as a whole feel that they are absolutely necessary and we
must increase our deficit by that amount, then let us get them.
Hon. Member S. Windward : I move that we increase by seven and leave the
details until later.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : I heard Mr. Bonadie mention $4,000.
President: I am afraid we do not know that. The details will have to be
inserted later. I have asked Captain Gentle to find out. I suggest we go on to
the next Head and come back. The fact is that we cannot afford any further
deficit.
Hon. Member Kingstown : An adequate Police Force is essential. It is no use
sitting here and making laws unless we have the force to carry them out.
President : Should we leave Head 18 for the moment and come back to that
Head?
Agreed.
Head 19.
Treasurer: I would like to make an amendment by the insertion of one
further item, 17-Adding Machines. An adding machine is very essential. There
is only one man doing the statistics and he is being worked nearly to death.
President: Item 17-Purchase of Adding Machine-$275. Is that approved?
Approved.
Question that Head 19 as amended stand part of the Schedule put and agreed
to.
Head 20, Head 21, Head 22,
Head 23, Head 24, Head 25.
Question put and agreed to.
Head 26.
President : Item 2 is put in as the Kingstown Senior School; but it represents
what we can afford to spend on schools.
Hon. Member S. Windward : It should be changed. I want to change that,
sir, to School Buildings."
President : Mr. Bonadie moves that Item 2, Head 26, be amended to read
School Buildings."
Hon. E. A. C. Hughes : Did we decide that?
(74
President : There were four schools down in the draft estimates, all of which
were deleted and it was decided to leave at least 4,000 to help with the Senior
School. I am hoping that we will not have to spend all this, so that the balance
could be spent on school buildings.
Hon. Member S. Windward : Please note my objection : it should be "School
Buildings" instead of Kingstown Senior School."
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : The amounts in the airfields allocation could be used?
President : I suppose so; and I discussed this with the Governor. He said
that in his opinion there was no more urgent thing in St. Vincent to spend money
on than the schools. I hope to be able to put the whole programme before you
at a very early date. I first want to know how much we are going to get (from
C.D. & W.).
Question that Head 26 (without amendment) stand part of the Schedule put
and agreed to.
Head 27.
President : I had instructed Mr. Josse to get these items put in under the
Education Head; but whether it is a question of the printer's not being able to set.
it in I do not know. It could stand for this year and if you wish it to be deleted, it
will be put in the 1951 Draft Estimates under the Education Head. This will
actually be expended by the Education Department in 1950.
Question put and agreed to.
Head 27A, Head 28, Head 29, Head 30, Head 31.
Question put and agreed to.
Head 18, item 7 (continued).
Hon. Member S. Windward : I am moving a motion that we increase this
item by seven men at a total cost of $3427.20, on behalf of the people of this town.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : I move a counter motion that it be increased by four
men and not by seven, which will reduce the amount of the expenditure.
President : May I ask Captain Gentle (Acting Superintendent of Police) a
question on this?
Agreed.
President: Captain Gentle, will four or seven make a great difference to
you?
Capt. Gentle : Seven would, sir, but I do not think four would.
President: In view of the financial situation, I am going to ask Captain
Gentle to do what he can with what he has now and when we know where we are
later next year we will do what we can. I am so keen on this that I would like to
get the constabulary up to 120 at the earliest possible date. The only trouble is
that we will not be in a position to know where we are until we get half a year's
revenue; so it really would be better to continue as we are for the next six months.
Hon. Member S. Windward: I will have done my duty to the people of the
town.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane: It is not the first time we have this in Kingstown,
especially towards the end of the year.
President: If things get worse we will definitely do something about it; and
we will in any case do something about it by the middle of next year. It will have
to be done by Special Warrant.
Question that Head 18 stand part of the schedule put and agreed to.
President : Therefore in the Schedule Head 16 Miscellaneous reads $155,779;
Head 19 reads $20,427. Can the whole Schedule therefore now stand part of the
Bill?
Agreed.
Clause 2-Grant of Supply for 1950 amended by the substitution of $1,801,863 for
$1,801,016.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 1-Short Title and Enacting Clause.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I would like to move that the Committee rise, Council resume
and the President report to the House.
Ag. Crown Attorney : Seconded.
Question put and agreed to.
Council Resumes.
Report Stage.
President: I have the honour to report that a Bill for an Ordinance to
provide for the service of the Colony for the year ending the thirty-first day of
December, 1950, has passed through Committee Stage of this Council and has been
approved subject to an amendment in Clause 2 thereof by substitution of the
words "eight hundred and sixty-three" in the fifth line between the words
" thousand" and dollars" and in the Schedule by substituting under Head 16-
Miscellaneous-the figures 155,779 for the original figures 155,207 appearing
therein, and under Head 19-Port and Marine-the figures 20,427 in place of the
original figures 20,152 appearing therein, and that in the total expenditure the
figures 1,801,863 be substituted for the original figures 1,801,016 appearing therein.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the President's report be adopted.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
Treasurer : I beg to move that the Bill for an Ordinance to provide for the
service of the Colony for the year ending the thirty-first day of December One
Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty be read a third time by title and passed.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to second the motion.
Question put"and agreed to.
Bill read a third time.
Ag. Crown Attorney : I beg to move that this Council be adjourned sine die.
Treasurer : I beg to second the motion.
Question put and agreed to.
President: Before Council adjourns I would like to thank you all for the
very careful way in which you have considered this Budget and I would also like
to congratulate you on the way in which you have managed to keep your tempers
during a very trying session, not only today, but when we met before.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : Is this the last meeting?
President: I do not intend to call a meeting of Council before Christmas, but
would like Council to meet very early in January because there are very
Important Bills (one of which is for a Water Authority and one or two other Bills)
which will have to pass through Council as early as possible. I wish to have a
word on one matter v.ith all members of the Council after Council has adjourned.
Hon. O. D. Brisbane : We wish to extend our greetings for the season, and it
would not do to dismiss this Council without extending greetings and best wishes
for the season to His Honour, Mrs. Coutts, and family. We know it is the first
Christmas His Honour will spend in St. Vincent and we know how hard he has
worked. We saw it tcday in the address. His Honour is a man who is prepared
to do some hard work and therefore we wish him all that is good. We wish his
family a very happy Christmas and good health throughout the time they
continue to be with us. I wish to express here the hope that Members of Council
will work for the benefit of this Council, that His Honour will feel that we work
with goodwill to do the best we can for the good of this country. Best Wishes to
His Honour, Mrs. Coutts and family for a very happy Christmas !
Hon. Member Kingstown : I see one of the things we have been asking for
for so long a time has come at last-the electric fan. The other thing I was
asking was to have the approach to this House paved. I hope that will come next.
We had a very pleasant meeting and I wish to extend to His Honour, Mrs.
Coutts, and family a very happy Christmas and a pleasant New Year !
President : We wish all members a very happy Christmas and a prosperous
'New Year, and we will meet in the New Ye r I trust.
Council is now adjourned.
HENRY H. WILLIAMS,
Acting Clerk of Council.
Confirmed the 17th day of July 1950.
W. F. COUTTS,
President.
Publications Not Available
Saint Vincent government
gazette
v. 83 no. 37
Administrative report on the
Department of Labour
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