USVI Public Records

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on Saturday, 29th :nst., 4 LOST GOLD CUFF BUJFTTON. Finder will be suitably re- warded on leaving same at this office. On Ist June, the Cottage No. 30 Strand Street. Apply to .. T. J. WENG. MAILS CLOSE for the United States, Euro%e, ete. per S. S. Guiana, on TUESDAY JUNE 18T., at 4 o’clock p. m. OF THU FOR ST. CROIX. Contirnued from Satnrday’s Avis The Chairman remarked: I have re- ceived a bill from Government today asking that same be placed on the Order of the Day which I will read to you. The Chairman read the bhill which is as follows: : Colonial Council Bill No. 33. 2nd Session 1919-20. RESOLUTION. Be 1t resolved by the Colonial Council wn sesston assembled: That the invested amounts of Fres. 11,127.10 of the Teachers Supporting Fund be paid out in accordance with their claims as submitted by Govern- ment’s letter of May 21, 1920. Introduced by Goverment. FRED. COLBY. For the Governor. The Chairman also read to the Council a letter received from Government under date of May 21, a. c.. bearing on this matter. 4th Appointed Member [Blackwood] remarked: Mr. Chairman. T is matter had been forwarded by the Municipal Committee to the Council with the re- commendation that the Council approve the paying of the amoun:s. The Chairman put to the vote and it was unanimously carrried that the Reso- lution be furthered today. It was also put to the vote and carried that it be passed at one discussion. 2nd Appointed Member (Noll) remark- ed: Mr. Chairman. Sometime in the past it has been the custom to take a certain amount from the Teachers’ sala- ries monthly and invest it in a fund, but the custom tras been changed and the vrepaying of the amountsto the Teachers has been under consideration for over one year. In St. Thomas this has been 21 £ R4l X AN ¥ accomplished, but we find in St. Croix it | IS necessary that some action be taken by the Council before the amounts can be | repaid; and therefore the matter is placed | hef@®e the Council for action. = @ 1 Ist Member for Christiansted Country | Disgict (Stakemann) remarkedy Mr. | Chairman. According to the Bchool | Ordinance five percent have been de- | ducted from the Teachers’ salaries | monthly and put into a fund called the i Teachers’ Supporting Fund, and if a | Teacher was discharged, the amou it was | paid back to him, or ifhe died it was | paid over to his heirs; since the change | the teachers have received a letter from ' this Government stating that they have | been discharged from .the service of the | Danish Government and have become | employees of the American Government; | and that the amounts collected from their | salaries in the past would be paid back | to them after.six months; that period | has elapsed and the amounts are not | paid back to them, they have received | another letter, perhaps two, promising i to repay the amounts, but up to the pres- | ent time- it has not been repaid. Ido | not think this Council will, in any way, | refuse to have the money paid back to | the Teachers. ? 2nd Appointed Member (Noll) remark- | ed: Mr. Chairman. I belive some of | ihe Teachers have their amounts mort- | gaged and are paying interest and are | awiaiting for the amounts to make set- | tlement. | Ist Member for Christiansted Town I (Abramson) proposad that the amounts be paid back to the teachers as soon as | possible. | Ist Member for Christiansted Country ! District (Stakemann) remarked: Mr. | Chairman. [ see that after the Teachers | are paid there will be a balance of Fres. | 8,748.75 which will acerue to the Colo- ’ nial Treasury; if that amount is interest on the amounts invested from the fund l it belongs tv the Teachers and should be paid to them. I think the Bouok-keeper’s Office would be able to give some infor- mation on this matter. The Chairman remarked: The para- mount interest is to have this matter set- tled so that Government can call in the amounts invested and pay the Teachers. If the Hon. Member desires to have the matter postponed he may make a motion to that effect. 2nd Appointed Member (Noll) pro- posed that the matter go to a committee of three members for consideration. The member’s prooosal was put to the vote and unanimously carried. The Chairma remarked: The Com- mittee will be appointed after recess. The Chairman then gave a recess of 20 minutes. After recess the Council reassembled and the Chairman asked members to pre- pare their voting tickets for a committee of three members® to consider and report on tue Resolution. 4th Appointed Member Blackwood) remarked: Mr. Chairman. Before the voting takes place I wish to make a few remarks. This matter which is now be- fore the Council brings to my mind somc- thing I have been thinking abou: for quitea while. We had not sufficient time to go over this matter and consider it carefully. In my opinion thereis a . wide gap between the Legislative and the Executive bodies and this letter brid- ges the gag. The Member then read from Paragraphs 4 and 7 of the By-Laws for the Municipal Committee where is it stated “‘The Municipal Committee shall be allowed reasonable time to give its opiniorn on matters proposed, and con- tinuing said --Since [ have been in the Municipal Committe this has never been done. We are not allowed suffcient time to look into matters oplaced before the Municipal Committee. If we are to as- sist in looking after the affairs of the Municipality we should be given time to consider and report intelligently on matters placed béfore us. The Mem- ber also read from Paragraph 9 of the said By-Laws where it is stated ““The Municipal Committee shall every quarter be furnished a statement of public revenues collected during the quarter etc.”’ and said,—This also has not been done—-(2nd Appointed Mem- ber Noll: Mr. Chairman [ ca.la point of order. I do not see where the Member’s remarks are pertinent or relevant). The Chairman rang the bell for order and said,—The Honorable 4th Appointed Member has the word. —Mem- ber Blackwood) continuing—Over and over questio::s have come up in this Coun- cil and I couldn’t make an intelligent an- swer owing o the fact that the Munici- pal Committee was not given sufficient time for consideration. I have no .ob- jection to fill a position ifI ecan do it right, but | do not want to be asked to make hullets and have some one else shoot them. Inelieve if the Municipal Commnii.tee is given ample time and we wvork together with Government much could be accomplished. 2nd Appointed Member (Noll) remark- ad: Mr. Chairman. As I understand it the Chairman of the Municipal Commit- tee has stated that the letter regarding the Teachers Supporting Fund was sent up to the Council by the Municipal Com- mittee with the recommendations. I would like to ask why the Municipal Committee sent up this matter if it had no time tojconsideri it? I cannot see the necessity for the remarks made by the Honorable Member. 4th Appointed Member (Blackwood) in reply to the last speaker said, The matter was sent up for elucidations by the Council. We were asked to give de- cisiorn on it as quickly as possible and we tried to accomodate Gcvernment. 2nd Appointed Member [Noll] remark- ed: Mr. Chairman ' I am grieved to tear the Chairman of the Municipal Com-