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With this stationary production and trade, expenditure has greatly increased. The average public expenditure in 1867-8-9 was 344,0001.; the estimates for 1875 showed an actual increase upon these figures of 200,0001. The general revenues for 1876, apart from those for immigration purposes, were 529,7351. "And it is this broad fact of an increase in taxation and expenditure, that we desire to press upon your Lordship's attention in conjunction with the want of progress in production and trade. It must be added that the revenue does not show signs of continued expansion. There was a falling off in the import duties and rum duties in 1876 as compared with the preceding year, and from the state of the island it appears probable that the present rate of expenditure may not much longer be justified by a proportionately elastic

revenue.

It now remains to state the practical remedies that suggest themselves. In the letter addressed to your Lordship on the 2nd December last, an analysis was given of several of the principal heads of expenditure. We wish that the above-mentioned letter should be taken as part of the representations we are now making. The charges for the Judicial Establishment are referred to; and we now beg that Sir A. Musgrave may be requested to inquire into the working of the district Courts, and the present facilities for obtaining cheap and speedy justice by all classes of the community. The constitution of the Appeal Court, now limited to the Chief Justice and a Puisne Judge, might also form an important part of this inquiry.

The expenditure, both general and parochial, for public works and roads, also demands the strictest scrutiny with a view to good material and workmanship, durable and economical works, and, most necessary perhaps of all, really good roads or railways.

We might venture to suggest that fuller particulars should be given in the estimates of the precise objects for which the money is required. We notice, for instance, that in the estimates for the present year, out of 17,100%. put down for repairs of buildings, the nature of the repairs required to the amount of 6,6001. is not specified.

But the main proposal we have to make in connection with the expenditure is that there should be a strengthening of the independent element in the Council, that local practical knowledge should be more effectively brought to bear upon the means of supplying the wants of the island, and that by a greater check upon estimates, as well as the actual expenditure, works should not be undertaken unnecessarily; should not cost double the anticipated amount, as has been the case in one important scheme, and should not result in such disastrous failure as that which has attended the now abandoned College in Spanish Town.

Your Lordship will understand that in proposing to increase the Council we have no idea of asking for any change of Constitution; indeed, any constitutional changes would be earnestly deprecated by the great majority of those who are interested in Jamaica property. But there is a general wish that the present form of Government should be more adapted to the necessities of the Colony, and quickened by a more lively sense of responsibility to the island community.

As one of your Lordship's predecessors strengthened the unofficial element in the Trinidad Council upon, it may be supposed, similar representations to these, we cannot but hope for your Lordship's favourable consideration of the case of Jamaica. Upon what principle and to what extent the Council should be enlarged we leave entirely to your Lordship's judgment. Members might be nominated by the Governor in connection with districts, or parishes, or groups of parishes,' so as to secure a practical acquain- tance at the Council table with the varied requirements of all parts of the Colony. A plan has, indeed, been discussed in Jamaica, which we may mention without formally putting it forward, by which a Council of Twenty would be appointed by the Crown. Six official members, and one unofficial member from each of the fourteen parishes, the Governor not to sit at the ordinary meetings, but communicating by message, and, of course, possessing full powers of vetoing and controlling legislation. Your Lordship may not approve of the particular plan, but its suggestion would, perhaps, indicate the direction and spirit in which the desired reform might be effected. The present non-official members reside in different parishes, and the above-mentioned plan would certainly be but an enlargement of the present system of nomination.

In connection with any improvement in the Council, besides a revision of its rules, the meetings might be hold in a session of several weeks in the course of a year instead of their being held for one day a week, and spread over the greater part of the year. The non-official members find it inconvenient to leave their private occupations and travel, perhaps, long distances at frequent intervals, whereas if an annual Session

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were held at a time convenient to stay in town, a better attendance would be secured, and measures would not be liable to be passed hurriedly, without due consideration, and almost entirely by official votes.

We submit in reference to the second main point that the essential measure for increasing the production and export trade of the Island, is a moderate annual immi- gration of coolies, the expense being distributed in the same way as in Demerara and Trinidad, viz., one-third to be borne by the revenue and two-thirds by the planters.

That there may be no doubt whatever as to the planters bearing at present the whole of the expense, we beg to refer to a despatch addressed by Sir William Grey to your Lordship, printed in a recent Parliamentary paper, in which his Excellency, after describing the immigration arrangement, concludes: "It may, therefore, be said that for immigration proper as distinguished from colonization, nothing has been paid from general revenue." And it may be added here that with regard to this expenditure for colonization, while it is a perfectly legitimate one for the revenue to bear, the greater number of immigrants to whom the payment is made would remain permanently in the Colony, whether they received it or not. Of the beneficial effect of immigration upon Demerara and Trinidad, your Lordship is aware, and there is no reason why similar results should not be brought about in Jamaica. The climate suits the immigrants, the mortality among them is very low; they are employed in sugar and coffee cultivation, and the more industrious ones have the opportunity of saving money, forty-five of the coolies who returned to Calcutta in 1876 carrying back with them an average of 301. per head. Even the present limited sugar cultivation could not be maintained without coolie labour, or in other words, without regular service on which the planter can depend. It is at present the only security the planter can have that his crop will be taken off the ground. So far from coolies lowering the rate of wages, they raise it, because every introduction of immigrants, however small, creates a larger demand for any native labour that may be available.

The coolies are certainly not objected to by the negroes, for the latter find in the new-comers purchasers of their ground, provisions, and small articles of trade. The mercantile community would lose one of their main sources of profit if the sugar culti- vation were not sustairc, and if the production were doubled, as it might soon be by immigrant labour, it is obvious that the local merchants and shipowners would be benefited, the incomes of professional men would be increased, the storekeepers would do a better business from the greater amount of money in general circulation, and, by creating a larger amount of property of all kinds, taxation would be more lightly felt, and public institutions would be supported without the pressure of which the taxpayer now so justly complains. In short, the prosperity of those who are engaged in the cultivation of a staple for which Jamaica has such great capabilities that would otherwise run to waste must be proportionately shared by all classes of the community; and it is this general advantage that we ask your Lordship to give to the Colony by consenting to a third of the expense of introducing a certain number of immigrants a year being paid by the general revenue. The Government would thus have a more direct interest in supervising the system and making it economical and effective, as well as having a clearer right to impose those restrictions which involve such expense and often cause such just complaints on the part of the employers of immigrants. We therefore sincerely hope that another immigration season will not be allowed to pass over without the Demerara or Trinidad agent at Calcutta being instructed to send 1,000 immigrants to Jamaica on the terms now proposed.

In making this application, we are speaking the sentiments of the whole planting body of Jamaica with perhaps one or two exceptions, and we are asking for that which has been already approved by the Legislature of the colony.

In the early part of last year a Memorial signed by planters was presented to the Council, praying that the revenue should bear the departmental and hospital expenses, leaving the planter to bear the cost of introduction. It was also alleged that the expenses of the Uuion hospitals, over which, although supported by the planter, he had no control whatever, were too great. We think this question of hospitals is an urgent one, and we hope that Sir Anthony Musgrave will see his way to reduce the fee for maintenance in hospital. The Select Committee to whom this Memorial was referred reported in its favour. They pointed out that the sugar and rum exported from the Colony more than equalled the value of all the other exports; and, therefore, that Sir J. Grant, in arguing against the revenue assisting immigration, did not take a proper view of the relative importance of the sugar industry. The Select Committee show that the pen- keeper, the merchant, and the small trader are all dependent upon the sugar estates. The sugar crop of 1875 was 29,761 hogsheads; of this quantity 19,785 hogsheads were

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