12 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES, NEW LAWS, CONSULATES, 



TAXES, ETC. 



Water meters are to be 

 Water placed at all the factories 

 Meters and farms within the city 

 for of Havana, according to a 



Havana. decree of Nov. 23 by Gov- 

 ernor Magoon. 

 As the old law read, only stores were 

 obliged to pay for the water. Under 

 the new law water used by factories 

 will be charged for at the rate of four 

 cents per cubic meter, and at places 

 where the water is drawn by pumps at 

 five cents per cubic meter. 



The city engineer will decide where 

 meters are to be placed, the property 

 owners paying the cost of installation. 



and permit the old apportionment to 

 remain. 



The provincial councils of 

 The Cuba are finding themselves 



Provincial in serious financial difficul- 

 Coimcils ties on account of the re- 

 Income. duction ia- revenues made 

 by the new provincial law. 

 Under an older law their revenue 

 equalled about 30 per cent, of the taxes 

 collected by all the municipalities, and 

 of this amount 35 per cent, was allowed 

 them for salaries, the balance for public 

 works. Under the new law their rev- 

 enue is only equal to 10 per cent, of the 

 municipal tax, while they are still ex- 

 pected to pay salaries and defray the 

 expense of public works. 



Pinar del Rio and Camaguey Provinces 

 found even the 30 per cent, apportion- 

 ment inadequate for their needs and were 

 compelled to frequently ask for aid from 

 the central government. Budgets will 

 have to be cut down in all provinces, 

 which will mean reductions in salaries 

 and curtailment in public work. Meet- 

 ings by delegates from the provincial 

 council have been held and the govern- 

 ment has been asked to annul the law 



Gov. Magoon, while in 

 The Washington Dec. 5, said 



Island that the Cubans would take 

 Without charge of the island with- 

 Debt. out debt other than that 

 from incompleted public 

 work in course of construction. Every 

 obligation will be met up to the time 

 of the American withdrawal. Not only 

 has all debt been wiped out, but out of 

 the revenues have been paid provisional 

 government expenses, improvements of 

 all kinds, including new roads, school- 

 houses, lighthouses, barracks for sol- 

 diers and rural guards, maintenance and 

 repairs of public buildings, the taking 

 of a census, the holding of two elections, 

 sanitary work of various kinds, and set- 

 ting with the Catholic Church for con- 

 liscation of and damages to church prop- 

 erty. 



On December 2 Governor 

 U. S. Barry approved the prop- 

 Customs osition made to the Cuban 

 Inspectors Government by the Treas- 

 i)i Havana, urj^ Department in Wash- 

 ington to have two custom 

 house- inspectors in Havana to examine 

 the baggage of passengers going to the 

 United States from that port. The ap- 

 pointinents will be made by Washington 

 and paid for by the United States. The 

 Cuban Government will supply adequate 

 quarters for the examination of baggage 

 at the Machina Building, Havana. Pas- 

 sengers, when this arrangement is work- 

 ing, will send their baggage to the wharf 

 ahead of time, and aftei examination it 

 will go to the steamer and be delivered 

 unopened without further examination in 

 the United States. 



Abattoir recently built in Cienfuegos at a cost 

 of $25,000. Is large .enough to supply a city of 

 60,000 inhabitants. 



The Governor also said 

 Sciver that no decision as to the 

 System issue of about $12,000,000 

 Payments, bonds to pay the exten- 

 sive improvements in the 

 sewer system and street depart- 

 ment of Havana has been reached, 

 a work the contractors have just be- 

 gun. It is probable that the payuT^nt 

 for the contract will be left to the Cu- 

 ban Government, which may be able to 

 meet the payments out of its current 

 revenues without the issuing of bonds. 



