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PROCEEDINGS OF THE COLONIAL COUNCIL NIAL COUNC FOR ST. CROIX. A'l‘one o’clock p. m., Monday, Novem- ber 17, 1919, the Colonial Council for St. Croix held an Extraordinary Meet- ing convened by request of Government. e The followine members were present: The Chairman (Merwin), A. E. Stake- man, D. Noll, W. S. Abramson, Robc. W. Skeoch, M. M. Skeoch, G. B. Flem- ing, W. H. McKay, F. Lunney, K. Hen- derson, Thomas Ramsay, and F' Coulter. 4th. Appointed Member (Black vood) absent from the Island; furthermore were absent, 3rd Member for Christian- s'ed Town (Pentheny), 3rd Appointed Member (Armstronz) and 4th Member for Frederiksted Country District (An- dersen). tHis Excellency Governor J. W. Oman and Despatching Secretary R. O Hagan attended the meeting After prayerz had been said the Chair- man anaounced to th2 House ihat the proceadings iur the last meeting of the Council have been published in the '‘St. Croix Avis’’ as cusiomary, and if mem- bers had no objection he would consider same tacitly adopted. There being no objection the Chairman declared the minutes as published tacitly adopted. The Chairman then read a letter re- ceived from (overnmen: under date of November 11, 1919 calling a special meet- ing of the Council to be convena2d at one o’clock p. m., November 17, 1919, and remarked that he had received no other letters since the last meeting. The Chairman requesiad 3rd Member for Christuansted Countiry District (R. W. Skeoch) to act as Seceretary as the Secre- tary (Canegata/ was not present. The Chairman then laid before che Hr use Item 1 ot the Order of the Day. Item 1. Colonial Council Bill No. 13. Continuation of Ist Discussion on Colonial Council Bill No. 13, Draft . of an Ordinance, introduced by 2nd Appointed Member (Noll), to pro- vide for a re-organization. regula- tion, 2nd government of the Muni- cipal Police Force of St. Crnix with Committee Report. COMMITTEE REPORT on Colonial Council Bill No. 13 Session 1919--1920. DRAFT OF ORDINANCE to provide for a re-organization, requlbi- tion and government of the' Municipal Police Foree. The Committee of the Colonial Couneil S 1 CRO AV 10, selected at the last meeting ot the Coun- cil reports, that a me-firg was held at Frederiksted on the 6th day of Novem- ber for the purpose of considering the Draft of Ordinance:— The Cemmittee recommends the follow- ing changes:— 1. Par graph 4.--Line 12--strike the words ‘‘Seventy-two’’> and insert “‘thirty-six’’. E 2. Paragraph s—strike the whole of the paragraph and insert s follows: “s—The compensation of the mem- bers of the Municipal Poiice Force shall be as {oliows per annum: Director of Police. .. ...$2,400.00 2 District Chiefs of Po- i@ . . - ... SIBU6OO 2 Distriet Chiefs of Po- e @ ... SIL S 0 U Inspectors@ ..... .. -.51.200.00 Sergeants @...... ... § 200 Patrolmen @..........$ 600.00 Botrgns ... ... ... .§% 48000 3. Paragraph 14—add thereto—— 'whieh shall be submitted to and approvec by a committee »f three members named by the Colonial Council. D Nol, A. E. STAKEMANN, Chavrman. Speaker. D.C.CANEGATA. ROBT. L. MERWIN. KENNEITH HENOERSOMN. ist Member for Christiansted Country District (Stakemann), as speaker for the committee repori arose and said that, according to the Rules of Business the Committee Report would be introduced by him during second discussion. No one requesting the word, 2nd Ap- pointed Membzr (Noll) moved that lst Discussion be closed. The Chairman put the proposal to the vote, 12 members voted tor; none against. Isi Discussion closed. Wita Government and the Council’s consent 2nd Discussion opened. [he Secretary (Cancgaia) entered the meeting. Ist Member for Christiansted Country District (Stakemann) remarked: Mr. Chairman. 2As speaker of the Committee appointed tojeonsider and report on this Draft of Ordinance, I have the nonor to introduce the report ot the Commitiee to the Council. The Committee had a meeting and the following changes were recommended: (The speaker read the Committee Report: and continuing said,—From that the Councit will se¢ that: the Commitic: has proposed an increase for the Director of Police. 1t was con- sidered that if we are to get a combe- tent man ic was necessary to pnay a high- er salary. Os course, we all agreed that it would be expensive to the community, but on the other hand, the community thinks it is necessary to have an efficient police force. It is of no use to have a police force an:d pay “its members small salaries and have men in the scrvice cor- respondinz with the salaries. For in- stance the salary thar is being paid to the police today, twenty dollars, is not sufficient to support them. It will also be noticed that the Com- mittee recom.iends to fix the salaries for patrolmen with a certain amount. in- stead of leaving it to the Police Direc- tor’s discretion to pay the men accord- ing tn qualification; as experience has shown that if efficient men cannot be - had lor the-salaries granted, it would be better not to have any than to fix the salarres lower for ineflicient persons. The salaries of patrolmen bave been in- creased to S6OO ner year so thal we may be able to have eompetent men. The ‘Police Foree, as itis today, is gen- erally ackrowledged to be inefficient; and with that in view,Irecornmend to the Courceil the adoption of the amendments which are now proposed so that we may have a good and efficient Police Force. Gentlemen I reccinmend the Committee Report. [T6 be continued). _ The s. 5. Parima arrived at Frederik sted yesterday morning and sailed for | the Islands in the evening. A small mail was received from New York by this opportuni v and it is understood that the - cargo was very short of expectations, the chief items to hand being flhur, and canned goods. The merchants in this town are rather disappointed, their stocks of staple articles of foodstuffs being aimost exaausted. The attontion of readers is invited to the following extract of a statement con- cerning the High Cost of Living pub- lished by rhe United States CHuncil of National Jefense, composed of the Sec- retariex oif War, Navy, Interior, Acri- culture, Commerce, and Labor, atter a careful investigation of rhe high-cost-of- living :roblem: : "‘That th® Nation’s productive powers have not been ful'y utilized since the armistice That too few goods, notably the neces- sities of life, have been produced, and that even some of these goods have been withheld from the market, and there- fore fr.m the people. That the high cost of living is due in part to unavoidable war waste and in- - crease of money and credit. That there has been and is consider- able profiteering, intentional and unin- . tentional. ; The Council believes that the remedies for the situation are: To produce more goods, and to pro- duce them in proportion to the needs of the people.. To stamp out profiteering and stop un- necessary hoarding. To enforce vigorously present laws and promptly to enact such further new laws