PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TTC.O. 882
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
258
I enclose also, for facility of reference, a statement of the loans made under Ordinance No. 34 of 1902, as some of the sugar estates obtained loans both under the Advances-in-Aid and Mechanical Transport Loan Ordinances.
Loans were made in 1903 to 43 sugar estates under the Advances-in-Aid Ordi- nance, and to 9 small planters, Of these only 5 sugar estates and 3 small planters have been able to meet their obligations. The Beau Plan Sugar Estate, the only one which had elected to refund the whole amount of the loan in one instalment on the 30th June, 1904, was in a position to repay only one-half of the sum, and asked that the payment of the other half be postponed to the 30th June, 1905.
The applications for postponement were very carefully considered by the Board, and in each case, except for the small planters, the production of the balance sheet of the estate for the financial year, showing the receipts and disbursements, and the amount standing to the credit or debit of the estate at the close of the previous year, was insisted on. The recommendations of the Board have been submitted to you separately and, I am glad to say, have met with your approval.
Of the remaining 38 estates, 32 have been granted the postponement of both instalments to the 30th June, 1905, and the 30th June, 1906, respectively; 3 estates have been allowed to pay half of the first instalment due on the 30th June, 1904, the balance being paid on the 30th June, 1905, and the second instalment on the 30th June, 1906; one estate has been granted a delay to the 30th September, 1904, the first instalment due on the 30th June last, on which date it in- pay tends to pay also the second instalment; one estate has been allowed to pay th of the first instalment due on the 30th June last, and to postpone payment of the remaining ths to the 30th June, 1905, and the second instalment to the 30th June, 1906; and two estates have been allowed to postpone the second instalment payable on the 30th June, 1905, to the 30th June, 1906.
to
As regards the small planters, five have been granted the postponement of both instalments to the 30th June, 1905, and 30th June, 1906, and one has paid ths of his loan and has been allowed to postpone payment of the balance of the half .e., th to the 30th June, 1905, and the second instalment to the 30th June, 1906.
Statement No. 3 gives in a concise form full particulars regarding these trans-
actions.
Of the estates which have been granted postponements for the repayment of their loans, 17 had balances varying from Rs. 94,789 to Rs. 2,932 against the estate at the end of the last crop. The other estates had a balance to their credit on the year's transactions, but which was inferior in some cases to their debit balance at the beginning of the crop 1902-03.
The expenditure incurred by the estates in providing mechanical transport, and in constructing the necessary earthworks where the plant had been provided under Ordinance No. 34 of 1902, has been considerable, and although the crop is the largest on record the production being 225,000 tons-the profit to the planters has been very much reduced in consequence of the enhanced cost of labour and the low prices at which the bulk of the sugars were sold. The planters are not, however, I am afraid, at the end of their financial difficulties, and fear that the majority of those who have incurred loans will not be in a position, on the 30th June, 1905, to meet their liabilities to the Government. Surra is still prevalent in the Colony, and, although a few animals are imported from time to time, the larger number of which die shortly after they are put to work. the extension of the system of tramways on the estates must be continued, and additional rolling stock provided if the canes are to be brought to the mill at a reasonable cost. It is generally agreed that this year's crop will not exceed 160,000 tons, and although there is reasonable ground for hoping that there will be a rise in the price of sugar, no positive assurance can be given. If prices rise to Rs. 9 or Rs. 9.50 per cwt. planters may tide over their difficulties, but, otherwise, with a reduced crop, I fear that notwithstanding every possible economy in the working of their estates, the majority will not be in a better position at the end of this crop to pay the instalment on their debt than they were on the 30th June iast.
F. A. GIBSON,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
259
STATEMENT OF LOANS MADE UNDER "THE MECHANICAĻ Transport Loan” Ordinance, 1902.
To whom Consented.
C. Antelme, for the Mauritius Sugar Estates Co.
C. Antelme, for the Mauritius Sugar Estates Co.
Louis Noel, for Society D'Arifat et Cie.
Security.
Amount of Loan.
1,924 4 6
J. Regnard, for Cle. Sucrière de Mon Desert ...
Y
Mon Desert Estates...
La Rosalie
£
5,370 5 11
3. d.
3,680 15 4
Riche Bois
La Baraque et Savinia
Deux Bras
4,210 18 10
1,291 17 7
...
Riche en Eau
3,217 2 1
Rich Fund
La Baraque and Savinia
Belle Vue and L'Amitié
Deux Bras
L. A. M. du Peloux de St. Romain and R. de
Rocheconste.
E. de Rochecouste
A. Eynaud for A. Arnaud & Co.
Louis Noel for Sy. D'Arifat & Co.
Léon Maurel
L. A. M. du Peloux de St. Romain and R. de
Rochecouste.
H. A. Leclézio and others
Hon. H. Leslézio, C.M.G.
N. Harel
***
Savannah Sugar Estates Co.
Directors of The Bean Plan Sugar Estates Co.
G. Martin and A. Boulé ...
Léon Maurel
***
Bonne Veine ...
1,438 14 0
719 18 11
1,015 11 11
916 0 2
1,200 0 0
8,703 1 4
1,019 10 6
4,025 16 Ok
1,531 1 9
999 4 9
Alma and Bar le Duc
--
Belle Vue (Mauricia)
-
Savannah
Beau Pluu
Antoinette
Belle Vue and L'Amitié
6,445 3 G
Fontenelle
1,982 15 5
1,883 11 8
Union (Savanne)
2,607 0 5
4,933 4 0
H. G. Ducray for Cie. Sucrière de Fontenelle
H. G. Ducray for owners of Côte d'Or
Union Sugar Estates Co....
R. de Chazal and others ...
I.. D. Martin
F. Rouillard
Wiehe and Souchon
C. Thomas and Widow Lachambre
(.F. Shand for Widow and heirs, Telfair
Côte d'Or
St. Antoine
Industrie
Mon Loisir (Rouillard)
800 0 0
2,020 0 0
Labourdonnais and Forbach
7,666 13 4
St. Hubert
***
Bon Air (Telfair)
A. Tourette for Beau Séjour Sugar Estate Co...
L. Maurel for A. Hugnin
A. Tourette for Beau Séjour Sugar Estate Co.
Emile Maurel
Constance and La Gaieté Sugar Estate Co.
Beau Séjour
---
Plaisance
Bean Séjour
5,299 10 8
1,555 6 9
736 17 31
2,032 9 3
8,916 9 1
Y
Union (Maurel)
2.165 3 8
Constance and La Gaieté
5,990 0 6
Bel Etang & Sans Souci
Schoenfeld
3,857 8 0
4,484 12 5
Helvetia
***
3,069 0 0
A. F Montocchio for. Cie. Bucrière de Bel
Etang & Sans Souci.
E. de Rosnay for A. Cayeux & Co.
J. Regnard for Cie. Sucrière de Mon Desert
---
19234
2 K 8
To whom Consented.
260
Security.
Amount of Loan.