CO885-(1-2) — Page 135

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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was from no factious feeling towards Her Majesty's Government, but from a full knowledge of the ruin awaiting the planters, and the utter impos- sibility of cultivating estates at a profit, and a doubt of the cultivation of sugar being carried on on the greatest number of estates during the year, the Legislature would leave the onus of providing the supplies to Her Majesty's Government.”

And Sir H. Light adds "it seems to be the general opinion, that the measures proposed to be adopted in regard to the stoppage of the sup- plies, emanate from the West Indians in England, connected with the colony."

At a meeting of the Court of Policy, on the 30th December, 1847, a series of resolutions were proposed by one of the unofficial members, and subsequently passed, setting forth, with reference to general measures of reduction that the civil list ought to be reduced at least twenty-five per cent.; urging that without such

a reduction the planters could not with justice reduce the wages of the labourers, and that the distress and exhausted resources of the colony rendered such a measure imperative-a measure which the Government ought to sanction, as the amount of the civil list had been founded on the presumption that the Imperial Parliament would not consent to the introduction of slave-grown

into the home-market.

sugar

Earl Grey Governor Light to

Jan. 1, 1848. No. 1, p. 1 A.

In Parliamentary Papers, House of Commons, No. 3, Report of West India Committee, p. 346. Ditto House of Lords, No. 250,

of 1848, p. 453.

In Parliamentary Papers, House

To such a proposition Lord Grey at once Lord Grey to Governor Light,

Feb. 15, 1848, p. 41. refused his assent; for not only, as he remarked, was the very object of the civil list arrangement to place some of the most important services of the colony "beyond the reach of varying circum- stances;" but even the state of the revenue, on

of Commons, No. 3, Report of West India Committee, p. 348. Ditto House of Lords, No. 250, of

1848, p. 454.

1842 1843

1845

a comparison of years, was not such as to justify 1844. the Crown's interference with the salaries upon 1846 it.

Before the receipt, however, of Lord Grey's answer in the colony, the disposition of the colonial

members to impede, if not to obstruct altogether,

838,970 dollars

829,868

832,479

825,198 ** 000,849 12

1847 (calculated

at)

-

1,135,502

"

the usual current of business, became apparent; for Governor Light to Earl Grey,

on their assembling on the 29th February, 1848, the March 3, 1848. No. 36, p. 1 B.

usual period of the year for considering the esti- mates, a resolution was passed for postponing their

p. 2 B.

In Parliamentary Papers, House

of Commons, No. 399, of 1848,

P. 135.

consideration till the middle of May; a request Ditto House of Lords, No. 250,

of 1948, p. 483.

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In Parliamentary Papers. Elouse with which Sir H. Light complied, there being of Lords, No. 250 of 1848, P. ample time, as he stated, between the middle of

483:

Lord Grey to Governor Light,

April 13, 1848, p 3.

In Parliamentary Papers, House

May and the 30th June, the end of the financial year, for considering and passing the estimates; yielding because he felt that he should have gained nothing by pertinacity, and in the hope (being about to quit the colony) that his successor might find a greater disposition to har- mony on the part of the colonists.

Of this step Lord Grey signified his approval. Sir H. Light having requested the members of

of Commons, No. 399, of 1848, the Court of Policy to embody their reasons in

p. 137.

of 1848, p. 485.

Ditto, House of Lords, No. 250, writing for asking for this postponement, they accordingly did so, in a series of resolutions, dated the 1st March, of which the seventh and last may be taken as the ruling reason.

p. 2 B.

Because, as has already been shown, unless some efficient and comprehensive measure of relief be immediately afforded us, it will be utterly im- possible to raise the means for defraying the ex- penses of the public institutions of this colony. It is therefore essentially necessary that we should have some knowledge of the intentions of the Home Government, before we are called upon to give a decision on the different items of the estimate; and for these and other reasons we request that the consideration of the estimate may

be postponed until we are in a position to form a more correct opinion than we can do at present regarding the future prospects of the colony."

The Governor's assent to the postponement of the estimates appears, however, only to have en- couraged them to more violent measures, for on

See Governor Light to Earl Grey, his reassembling the Court on the 21st March for

March 31, p. 6.

In Parliamentary Papers, House of

the transaction of ordinary business, and for the Commons, No. 749, of 1848, p. purpose of laying before them certain despatches

244.

Ditto, House of Lords, No, 250, from Lord Grey, amongst which was that con- taining the refusal to a reduction of the civil list,

of 1848, p. 630.

p. 7. Mr. Rose gave notice of a series of resolutions expressive of a determination of the Court to refuse the granting of the supplies or the passing of any estimate; the reason, as appears from their

pp. 8 to 13. specches, being the measures of the Home Go-

vernment as regarded protection to their sugars.

Governor Light to Earl Grey,

April 13, 1848, p. 13.

The course thus taken, Sir II. Light considered

In Parliamentary Papers, House of as absolving him from the assent he had given to

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