21 



expenditure of £l,000 for new machinery was not sufficient to 

 take out of their hands the power of allocating the details of the 

 expenditure. It was in the power of the Board to determine that 

 the money charged to the Sugar Grant for the Locked Still matter, 

 on the responsibility of the former Chairman of the Board, should 

 not be met from the Grant. In that case the Government could 

 only ask the Legislative Council for a special vote for the purpose, 

 and if the Council refused then Mr. Olivier would be personally 

 responsible for the payment of the amount. 



Locked Still. — The Secretary read a letter from Mr. Shore stating 

 that he did not think the Meeting was in order in being called 

 specially to consider a motion that would have come on the Agenda 

 of the next Meeting, and that he was authorised by the planters 

 of St. James and Trelawny to protest against the expenditure for 

 the proposed Locked Still at Denbigh being paid from the funds 

 of the Sugar Grant. 



Mr. Cousins then gave full particulars as to the proposed Locked 

 Still and submitted detailed plans and specifications, also esti- 

 mates. 



Mr. Calder protested against the manner in which the whole 

 thing had been carried through and held that the experiment would 

 be of no use whatever in checking the stealing of rum and he 

 moved : 



"That the Board acting under the powers conferred on it by 

 Law 45, 1903 section 2, refuse to sanction any expenditure (for the 

 purpose of erecting a Locked Still at Denbigh) of the funds placed 

 under its disposal, until the plans and specifications have been 

 submitted and approved by the Board." 



And he further moved the addition— "That the Board do not 

 approve of the plans and specifications now submitted." 



Mr. Cork seconded. 



The Archbishop said that there might be a way out of the dif- 

 ficuhy if the expenditure could be shared equally between the 

 Estate, General Revenue and the Sugar Grant. 



The Chairman said that he could not agree to any charge on 

 General Revenue. 



The Chemist moved the following amendment : — 



"That while this Board regrets that the full details of the instal- 

 lation of the Locked Still at Denbigh were not placed before them 

 before the matter was put in hand, it is desirable, considering the 

 expendtture already incurred, to proceed with the Locked Still at 

 Denbigh and that the expenditure of £300 be authorised upon the 

 estimates of the Sugar Fund for appliances and new apparatus for 

 estates." 



On being put to the vote the Chairman, the Director of Public 

 Gardens, the Chemist, and the Superintending Inspector of Schools 

 voted for the amendment, and Hons. J. V. Calder and H. Cork for 

 the motion. The Archbishop abstained from voting. The amend- 

 ment was therefore carried, by four votes against two. 



