LOCAL
We are informed
that the
Commission
sent
by
the President
to investigate
anl
r:port on conditions
in
these
islands
will
arrive
in Christiansted
on Saturdav
this
week
at 6.00 o’clock p.
m
The Governor
has
placed
his
Packward
automobile
at
the
dispnsal
of
the
commission
durinrg
its stay
in St. Croix.
In
thisissuz
there
will b
found
the
address=s
of tho Chairman
of the
Muni-
cipal
Committee
and
the
Despatching
Secretary
at the
ceremony
on
Monday
afternoon.
Another
address
by the As-
sistant:Public
Works
Officer received
too
fate for this
issue
will
be
published
to-
morrow,
We have
been
asked
to
mention
that
the
Native Brass
Band
will givea
con-
c>rt
on the wharf this evening.
SPEECH
DELIVERED
BY THE
HONORABLE
D. C.
CANEGATA,
MONDAY,
JANU-
ARY 28,
1924.
|
Honorable
Mr. Secretary,
Honorable
|
Members
of
the
Colonial Council,
La-
dies
and Geatlemen:
j
[ esteem
it a very
hbigh
honor
to have
|
b-en
accorded
the
privilege
of sayinga
|
few words
to you this afternoon.
It
ur.
ther enhances
to
the
honor
that
the
oe-
|
casion
should
mark
the
beginning
of the
cwstruction
of
what
we
hope,
will
be
tho means
of
furnisking
a
public
water
|
supply
for
the
town
of
Christiansted.
|
We have long waited for
an
effort
to
be
|
made
in
this
direction
and
we
can
all
|
feel
some
measure
of satisfaction
at
this
|
fiint realization
of
our
dream.
[
think
|
too that this project
in away
forms
a new
|
departure,
or
rather
it
is
an exception
|
to what
appears
to have
be-n
the estub
|
Jished rule;
we
have
in the rast always
waited for the
initiation
of
any
project
|
to be
made
by the Executive
Department
of
the
Government;
this
however
can
truiy be termed
a
people’s
measure
and
|
17 that
r spect
it
is
an
exception
to the
rale.
|
When
the
Budget
for
1923-1924
was
|
first suomitted
to the Municipal Commit-
|
tee
symetime
1n May last year,
that Com-
|
mittee making
an
effort
to
secure
some
|
measure
of economy
based
on efficiency
|
in
the
several
Departments,
proposed
|
several
different
amendments
with
the
nope,
that
the
amounts
saved
thereby
!
should
be used
for such
construetive
im-
f
provements
within our
limits that
would
|
tend
towards
the
material
benefits
and
:
wel“are of the inhabitants
of this island.
|
The
representatives
of
Christiaosted
|
worked (there
are 3of us,
Mr, Abramson,
|
Mr. Alexander
and
mysell) and
worked
|
hard
to
gain
some
share
of
the spoils,
|
and by the
recommendation
of
the
Mu-
|
nicipal Commi‘tee,
with
the
support
of
2T (a1
3 8
our other colleagues
in*he Council, the
approval
of Government
and
the
c¢o op-
eration
of
the
Pubiic
Works
Ofcer,
Lieutenant
Gebhard,
the
people
of this
town
are
about
to
reslize
che
fruits of
our
labor.
I shall
not
fail
to
mention
to) our present
Governor,
His Excellency
Governor
Pailip
Williams
and
his Aide
Lieutenant
Barrett
our Despatching
Sze-
retary
who have added
fresh stimulus
to
our efforts.
[
know
that
the
Gowvarnor
has
a
very keen
and deep
interest
in the
attainment
of
this
end,
which
is
evi-
dencad
and
has
shown
itself
by his
da-
sire
to
hava
this
work
started
at
the
earliest
possible
date;
as
you
all
are
aware
h»
even
called
the Colonial C)un-
cil together
in extraordinary
session
to
furthar
the ohject,
and
it is
a syurea
of
great
reret
to us, that
he
has
been
un-
able
to
b 2 here
this
afterndon
at
this
cevremony,
which I think is his
own initi-
ation
and for
which
he
is solely respon-
sible.
T
draw
attention
to
this
as
it
seems
that
this
is
a
feature
of thz case
which
is deserving
of
our gratitude
and
recognition
and
should
warrant
its full
m:asare
of
appreciation.
I
want
you
to
regard
this
structure
when
comupleted
not
as
a sepirate
eatity,
but
as
the beginning
only
of that larger
projecet
waen
every
hoyma
and
house
in
this town shail
have
a
public
supply
of
ranning
water
within
its
doors;
that
is
the ultimate
object
we
all have in view.
It is
possible
by
your
cooperation,
by
your effort, keep
it always
b:zfore
you.
And
to
attain
that
end
you
cnd
I are
d2termined;
and
[ see in
the
eanthusizsm
of
our
gathering
to
press
on
without
haste,
bat
without
rest
towards
its final
accomplishment,
Ouar {rieads
from
the
CHuntry District
will receive
tnis with astw.aisanent.
Fhis
of
e»rarse
is
an
urban
gathering,
and
naturally
urban
probiems
are
of
the
greacer
interest
for
us,
but
we
are
not
unmindful of
the
support
derived
from
our
rural
district
and
of
that
greater
rural project,
the
impounding
of
water
suth
'ient
for agricaltural
purpys2s.
OQur
slender
resources
are
inadequate
to even
attempt
anything
of
material
benefit
along this line, bat
we trust
that the day
is
not
too far
distant,
when
by
a gener-
ous
amount
of Federal
aid
we
may
be
able,
to place
our
main
industry
ona
more
substantial
footing
and
w 2 shall
not b 2 whnolly
dependent
on
th2 ratural
rainfall
for
a
normal
or
average
crep.
Happy
shall
w 2 b 2 if to
us
iris
giv-
en
to
see
the
realization
of this
pro
jeet.
Happy
shall
we
be
if
beatfore
our
day
lis
over
it
is
given
to
us
to dispel
some
of
the
givom
which
has
fallen
over
tnis
com nunity
and
help
to
raise
the hopes
of
many
of us
from the
despond
oi
despair.
Happy
saall
we
be if to
us
the
opportunity
is
afforded
to piace
our
owa
town of
Christiansted
in its
rightrful
place
and
restore
sone
measure
of the form-=r prosperity
of
our
isiand.
'
I baliave
that
all our aims
ean
b» real-
ized;
it is
true that
our
porulation
has
b2en
gradually
dw~indling,
batit
is rot
numbers
that tell in
ev2rv
mrvement,
it
is lite and
force
And
ife
ani forece
are
ours if we only bali=v- it.
What
we need
m st
is unity of parpose
and
unity of ac-
tion.
It
is
the exercising
and forgetting
of miserable
personal
diff 2rences
and
con-
traciion
on
oar
plain
duties
and
doct-
rin?s.
lUhis is
my m>s3sage
to you the
peo-
pleof Chrisiiansied
and St. Croix this af-
ternoon.
Aect
upon
it,
and
we
may b
2
perfe~tly contident
that.
whether
after
a
long interval
cr a short
one,
we shail
at-
tain the realization
or our
ideals
and
win
a triumphant
vietoro for
our cause
whicn
we
know
to
be
the
cause
of reedom,
justice
and
good
government,
SPEECH
DELIVERED
BY
HIS
HONOX
THE
DESPATCHING
SECRETARY
(R.
E.
BARRETIT), ON
MONDAY, JANUARY
28,
1924
The
Honourable
Members
of the
“olo-
nial Couneil,
Municipal
Committee
and
Citizens
of €t. Croix.
History
tells
us
that
Sir
Waiter
Ra-
lvigh landed on the
shores
of
this
island
d :ring the early part of the
seventeenth
century.
The inhabitants
of this
island
at that time presented
bim
with
a
very
beautiful
basket
of
manchineel
apples
and
a copy of a local
newsvaper.
In
all
provability he read
in the
local
newspa-
per
thata water
supply
for
the
island
was
comtemyplated.
The article
no doubt
wound
up
with
information
reading
something
like
this:
""We
will
have
more
to
sav
upon
this
subjeect
later
”’
Both the manchineel
apples
and
the pros-
peets
of water proved
to be
a
bitter
dis-
appointment.
:
For approximately
100 years
the
ques-
tion of a water
supply
for
this
comma-
nity has
peen agitated,
but
nothing
con-
crete
was done.
Tolay,
cue tothe
en ey
and forethought
ot
vour Leugisiators,
Fa-
thered
by the Municipat
Corm nittee,
the
guestion
of a
'vater
supp:iy
tor
tins
com-
munity is now an establisned
tfact.
Money
has been
appropriated.
the
site
selecred
and the
actual
work
started.
In
ord
r
to complete
this peoject
it will be
neeces-
sary
to have
the
hearty
eco-operation
of
each
and every
citizen
with
your
legis-
lative tbody
and,vour
Government.
The
time tor action
and
results
is
at
hand.
The day of qubbling, bickering
and
use-
less
talk is passed
Tuere
has
never been
in the history of the worid
any
improve-
ment contemplated
for
the
benefit
of
a
community
which
bhas
not
met
with
op-
position.
Individuals may have their own
ideas
and
may
condemn
the work
of
othe:s,
but whea
the feat
is
acecomplish-
«d and
all have benefited;
those
who
eri-
ticised,
those
who condemned
and
those
wuo scuffed,
will be
the
firs.
opes
to