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PROCEEDINGS OF THE FOR ST. CROIX. (Continued from yesterday’s Avis.) (Government Secretary (Zane) remnark- ed: Mr. Chairman. The main reason whirh the Government hal for desiring preatly that expenditures be not reduced below a point which would still afford a reasonable efficiency in Its operation was because it hoped that next year we would not have the Federal appropria- tion worded as it now is. 1 other words for the fiseal year about to commence th= Feleral appropriation provides 3270, 159 and an additional £53.850 or so mich thereof as the total reveniie may execeed $:70,150. In presenting the estimates for the appropriation for 1926 to the Navy Department, the Governor made a very strong plea that this wording be not repeated and that the prive word ing used be continued and that tae aporo- priation be 324,000, without stating that the $52,850 may only become available provided revenues exceed $270.159. Azain it is possible that the esumated revenues may be exceeded. There m.y also be several hundred dollars unexypen- ded. It is also impossible that thay may not be met. In other words, the situa- tion is that inasmuch as it i 3 apparently impossibleto further out the budzet with- out affecting the efficiency of the govern- ment, and largely because there is not now time to go into the matter before the first of July, Government felt that the circumstances might warrant the utilizing of a portion of the Raserive Fund to tide us over this one year, and in the hope that th? appropriation for 1926 wiil not he less than the amount recomm :nd- ed, $321.000, without the qualification claase of theraising of rev-nues in excess of $270,150. It the Colonial Council feels that because of a possible precadeat this might create, it cannol see its way to- wards pass nz this ordinance, the result is that at present Gorvernment eannot see its way to balance the budget by $14,000. That 15 pot a great amount when consid- ering the totalamount of expected reven- ues and the amount of IFederal appro- priation available towards meeting the deficit. In other words, I should say that bocause there is not time to review the whole situation with a vievw, towards a further reduction in the bu'g:t, and that there is a po=sibility that thisnoey of the Reserve F.nd migh. not, after all have to be used; and there ils a lurther possibility that next year we might not be confronted with s ch a :itua- tion as we have™ to contend with now, the Colonial Council may weil consider this a temporary emergency measure which in eflect Isto give the =f i1 AVi 3 Covernmedt a Litt'e more basis than it otherwise would have, 4:h Member for Frederiksted Country Distriet (Andercen) rvemezrked: Mr. Ch irman. [ have never contended that Government was not within its rights by not taking the advice of the Munici- pal Conimittee ard in bringing any meas- ure before the Couneil. Coming back to the Reserve Fund I would like to state that it has been made up frcm warious sources. Some other funds have been transferred to the Re- serve Fund uvon the recommendation of the Municipa! Committee. I understand that there will be an immense balance left over from this year's Federal appro- priation: if Governmert would agree that a portion of this balance of the Federal appropriation equal to the deficit go into the Reserve Fund there wouid be no ob- jection. But there certainly is objeetion by all with whom [ spoke abouat this mat- ter o using the Reserve Fuud to balance the budget. 9nd Member for Christiansted Country District (Berg): Mr. Chairnan. 1 un derstand the Governmpent Secratary to say that Goveramant doss no: see its way to balance the bulret. May I ask the Honorable Chairman of the Muniei- pal Committee whether it is possible to balane> the budeet without that $14,0007 ond Member for Christ'ansted Town (Canegata) in redly to the last speaker said,— I'hat forms part of the poliey of framin2 and nassing uson the budz=t Is it really necessary for us to 2rant the use of thr Reserve Fund for the parprs: of balancing the buad:e.? Way not let things run for at least six months and by that time we will see whether it is really necessary to utiliz® the fund. Ath Member tor Frederiksio ! Chountry Distriet (Anderse.) remarked: Mr. Coair- man. One thing this Couacil has no knowledge of, is the approxinate bal- ance there will be from the Wederal ap- propriation at the end of the fiscal year. Wouldn’t that sum be large enough to take care of the balance? It not reduce the budeet. Ist Member for Frederilisted Town (Jackson): Mr. Chairman. How much ol the budzetted revenues were collected up to Aprit 307 2nd Member for Christiar sted Town (Caneq ttl) answered the question say- ing: Fres. 347,050.374 Budget expenditures. ... "' 1,080,043 724 Excess of budget expendi- R e e v Cash balance in National 8ank...... .. Minus.... " b5, 560278 15t Member for Frederiksted Towrp (Jackson): Mr. Chairman. Up to April 20 how much of the Federal approdria- tion had been turned over to the Muniei: pality of St. Croix? 2nd Member for Christiansted Town (Canegata) answered the question say- ing,-1 cannot give the exact figures tor tLe present fiscal vear, but the cash bal- ance for last year was abeut SBO,OOO and the rest of the amount of Franes 732,993 has been made up by Fedeial appropria- tion. If you subtraet one from the other you can arrive roughly at rhe figure. Government Secretary (Zaue) remark- ed: Mr. Chairman. The Honorable Chair- man of the Municipal Committee remark- ed a few moments ago to the effect that why raise this question of atilizing money from the Reserve Fund now, why not wait and see how things go on for six months from now. Am 1 to un- derstand that thisis to be taken as a suggestion at present, or put it this way, as a suggestion that Govaroment might withdraw this Ordinanca on that basis? 2nd Member for Christiansted Town (Cacegita): Mr. Chairman. T'nat’s what l intended. llf we are 814,000 short 1t is the duty of the Couloaial Cruaeii to re- duee the badaet. It we have six months to go we ¢in see whera to inake the cat. Government Secretary (Zan2 1 take it then that the ideva of the Chair- man of the Municipal Commiitee is that the Colonial Couneil . proceed with the consideration of the budget as it is row beiore it with the un- derstanding that at the present mo- ment Government canuot see its way 1o balanee the budeet by $14,000, and that the matter be heid in abeyance .or <ix montis un.il we know what the actual sttuat.on 13 going to develop into. 2nd Member for Christiansted sown (Caregatay: Yes. Government Secretary (Zzue): With that understanding Government with- draws the Ordinance. Ti e ordinance was accordingly wi'h- drawn, 4th Member for Frederiksted Cointry Districi (Andersen): Mr. Chairman 18 the oidinanze withdrawn ? Fhe Caad man: The Government has, in view of the statement made by the Honoravie 2aod Member for Christian- s ed ifowvn, withdirawn the ordinance. Governmant Seeretary (Zlne) remark- ed: Mr. Caorirman. My understandinz of the situ:tion ils that Government in withdrawirg this ordinance does it be- cause th: whole situation is so income- plete at the present tim= (bat his que:- tivd as we |l as any other which may de ve.op withi the next s:x months of the fiscai year may well go over. In otner words, Government by withdrawing this ordinance now simply leaves in abeyance the possibie utiiization of the Reserve Fund for s)me other day as being the oaly alternative between that and a dras tic cut 1a the buduet. Z2od Member tor Caristianste!Country Disirict (Berg) remarked: Mr. Chairman. It seems o e tht we are voting to ex- pend the amouit ithe budget ealls for the whole of which we have not got and then bz heid responsible for the balance. 4th Member for Christiansted Country (Rimsay): Mr. Chairman. [propo:othat disenssion on the ordinance be ciosed as it