Sir J. P. Grant, the Governor of Jamaica, has published
a -very masterly minute in answer to some remonstrances he has received from the parishes of St. Ann's and Trelawny against his new taxes. He shows that he did not put on new taxes with- -out a great and successful effort to save as much as possible by -reductions of expenditure, that he has effected net reductions to `the amount of 26,0001. a year, no less than 10 per cent, on the 'total expenditure of the colony (as though our expenditure had been reduced by six millions and a half), and that his new ex- penditure, namely, on an efficient police, and on district courts of justice, will not, when fully carried out, muoh exceed his savings. Indeed, he does not doubt that by further reductions, he shall soon &eve more than covered his fresh and most needful expenditure on an efficient police, and summary courts of justice. But, even so, the new taxes are needed to balance the accumulating deficits of many years back, of which he gives a most portentous list. Since 1861-62 the debt appears to have increased by about 230,000/., or about 46,0001. a year. Sir J. P. Grant shows how utterly useless was the old police, how efficient the new, and how cheer- fully the black population pay the new taxes. The memorialists -of St. Ann's and Trelawny will scarcely trouble the Governor again with their wonderfully incorrect facts. The minute is a remarkable record of thifficapacity of the past Government and its present vigour.
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