JNF-The-Working-Class-Struggle-of-Half-a-Century

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could have no better representative in the Government than a man who had done so much in the battle for the right to vote. His manifesto opened with the following declaration, I shall always consider it my duty to co-operate with the Government and all members of Council on all matters of benefit to the Presidency. No one was more aware than Mr. Henville of the needs of the moment. He had a record of public service in which he functioned in many important offices including membership in the Legislative and Executive Council as well as in the General Legislature of the Leeward Islands with headquarters at St. John’s Antigua. He looked forward to parting company with the old regime and embracing the popular benefits of the new. Commenting on Mr. Henville’s candidature, the Union Messenger said, The time has come when the people of the Presidency must look away from the glamour and glare of campaign promises to the merits of tried men, those men whose policy justifies the support they seek and to those who are in the business of politics for what they can put into it. On polling day, 22 nd June, he was elected to the seat for Nevis. The opposing candidate was Mr. T.M.W. Deane, owner of Cane Garden Estate. Only one candidate was nominated for the seat for Anguilla, Mr. Albert E. Owen. The Returning Officer of May, 31 st thereupon declared him duly elected for the Electoral District which included all the adjacent small British Islands. The New Legisature Political fireworks in St. Kitts ceased on 24 th June 1937. The four polling stations at Basseterre, Sandy Point, Dieppe Bay and Cayon were open at 10 a.m and closed at 4 p.m. Voters turned up for business during early hours. Everything went quietly and with clock-like precision. Commenting of the affair, The Union Messenger of 25 th June 1937 said, When it is considered that this was the first experience for so many of us, we are of the opinion that we have done marvelously well, and for this, we are indebted largely to the labours of St. Kitts Workers League, apart entirely from the electioneering campaigns, in educating the people. 137
The three St. Kitts seats were won by Mr. T. Manchester, Mr. E. Challenger - The League candidates- and Mr. C. Malone whom the League supported. The opposing candidates were Mr. W. E. L. Walwyn, a planter, and Mr. P. E. Ryan, a merchant. The natural sequel to the winning of the right to vote in the territory was the placing of Labour stalwarts to guard the right. Likewise the men who spoke out against low wages, poor health, limited education, bad housing, were the most fit to remedy those conditions. But with this recognition and sacred trust came an additional weight on the shoulders of leaders of the Labour Movement. The press again commented, The Elected Members of Council must especially appreciate the weight of the public responsibility that has fallen on their shoulders and a sensible understanding of the public confidence reposed in them. The results overwhelmingly indicate that the public confidence placed in them a sacred trust up to which it will be their duty to live. The first meeting of the new Legislative Council took place in August. The Administrator D.R. Stewart was President of the Council. In addition to the five elected members, the following were appointed to serve on the Council as Nominated members:- The Crown Attorney, Mr. A. Ridehalgh; the acting Treasurer, Mr. S. E. Moin; Mr. W. B. De Grasse, Mr. G. P. Boon and Mr. B. B Davis. At the opening session on 17 August 1937 the gallery surrounding the Council Chambers was filled to capacity with eager spectators. The Governor, Sir Gordon Lethem, sent a message to the Council in which, among other things, he welcome the new members and greeted those who had served previously as Councillors. In his address to the Council, the Administrator too, expressed cordiality to the first Council under the new constitution and looked forward to close cooperation. Suitable replies were tendered on behalf of the Unofficials through Mr. Clement Malone the senior elected member. Wage Rates, Trade Unions, etc After the usual formalities and the normal proceedings at the first part of the meeting, the time for “Questions” came. Mr. Manchester asked 138
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J. N. FRANCE ______________________
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© 2015 Published by The National A
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Preface The Working Class struggle
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1 EARLY VISION Where is this countr
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With the passing of time, social an
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This early attempt at workers' orga
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post as a school teacher to succeed
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For several years the pressure was
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and school houses are being used fo
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housing condition arising from the
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3 PREPARING THE GROUND The thought
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That impressive English story told
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they had accumulated £28 with whic
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Commons that since the colony of th
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1922, some of the members of Legisl
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On 30 th August 1932 the Dominica T
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country and I regard British Guiana
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Mr. Marryshow then raised his tone
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Delegates to the West India Confere
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The conference opened its proceedin
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protests can be ignored with impuni
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Closer Union Commission widened to
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He said it was a privilege to him t
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possible, an education that must be
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and suffering, and in such a condit
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The land forming the Hospital compo
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ing able to grant the request of th
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prison sentences for what was commo
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sinned against the Factory. Theirs
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9 FROM PAUPER RELIEF TO PROVIDENT B
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1954 declared the first Monday in M
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it has proposed to interfere will b
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Change When the League came on the
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Children of the working class. 61
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had just dumped out a load of cane
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There was no reply from London. Twe
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president. When the delegation gave
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Under the law of 1937 only a limite
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Workers who would have benefited fr
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Grenada, and will seek to work in a
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Ferguson, Chairman of the Commissio
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Now let me say in the first place t
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We should like to refer to West Ind
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in West Indies there is a considera
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The 1932 Commissioners commented on
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not regard it as essential that the
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Page 98 and 99: gravity of the situation to the att
Page 100 and 101: On 13 th December, 1934 an unusuall
Page 102 and 103: employed by those who demand the ad
Page 104 and 105: concerning the right for the workin
Page 106 and 107: come relief to a grateful people an
Page 108 and 109: vance towards the goal of the Feder
Page 110 and 111: members of the Council. Mr. Marrysh
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Page 114 and 115: Unofficial Majority on the Legislat
Page 116 and 117: tional reform movement in this Pres
Page 118 and 119: combine to give the Closer Union Sc
Page 120 and 121: prominent part in marking the close
Page 122 and 123: when the slaves were set free, and
Page 124 and 125: The people in those days took it fo
Page 126 and 127: Sugar Factory workers were “chast
Page 128 and 129: At West Farm the marchers were prev
Page 130 and 131: Some of the men, it was alleged, we
Page 132 and 133: gear was damaged and the employees
Page 134 and 135: Inspector of Police and Magistrate
Page 136 and 137: H.M.S. Leander arrived in the port
Page 138 and 139: satisfied that the action taken by
Page 140 and 141: 16 THE FIRST ELECTION The clash of
Page 142 and 143: opposed to it. The 1936 Constitutio
Page 144 and 145: important matter, I promise the Ele
Page 148 and 149: whether it was a fact that the St.
Page 150 and 151: existing, it is not considered that
Page 152 and 153: 17 THE 1938 ROYAL COMMISSION The 19
Page 154 and 155: A: Any law-abiding citizen over 16
Page 156 and 157: appeared and presented the case of
Page 158 and 159: 18 A STAKE IN THE COUNTRY Land owne
Page 160 and 161: culture and Commercial Society. The
Page 162 and 163: After this, the land would vest abs
Page 164 and 165: age. In the following month, Januar
Page 166 and 167: 19 MARCUS GARVEY IN ST. KITTS St. K
Page 168 and 169: When he made man he said, ‘By the
Page 170 and 171: oil underneath his feet. Englishmen
Page 172 and 173: is a little four-page newspaper. Yo
Page 174 and 175: provided the major portion of the e
Page 176 and 177: which should be paid for the variou
Page 178 and 179: In April 1969 the Minister of Labou
Page 180 and 181: 21 POWER OF THE PRESS During first
Page 182 and 183: Commission headed by Sir Charles Fe
Page 184 and 185: President wrote, The issues are too
Page 186 and 187: the sea. The effects were terrible
Page 188 and 189: mendous crowd packed the Mutual Imp
Page 190 and 191: territory, the success of the past
Page 192 and 193: the notice, was that employees were
Page 194 and 195: 185
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JNF-The-Working-Class-Struggle-of-Half-a-Century

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