About 4,000 people live in this area, parish officials said.

Opponents of the new plant say they face a formidable political machine: parish officials whose business interests stand to gain from new industry.

The instructions were issued to the relevant parish officials in September 1872, and the last return was received over two years later.

But at the last minute, he said, parish officials decided the trip would be too dangerous.

Deputy Lewis said that changes came following requests from parish officials.

The original estimate by a parish official was 300,000 gallons.

The parish officials considered the possibility, and they were worried.

Some parish officials have indicated that they may not enforce even this inadequate interim standard.

Often they sought to enlist local parish officials and occasionally magistrates to raise levels of poor relief as well.

In recent years St. Helena experienced a series of scandals involving parish officials.