18
17 Augual 1999
MAURITIUS ROYAL COMMISSION, 1909
Mr A. WALTER.
[Continued
by either unprovements in cultivation or milling. A careful examination of Table VI. will, moreover, show that this is not unlikely to be the case. Capital expenses in the form of improvements have increased to the extent of Rs 19,90 per annum between 1892 and 1908, und the full effect of these improvements will not, probably, I felt for some years yet. The cost of cultivation also does not appear to have decreased to any considerable Although the planters' canes are still purchased at the rate of about Rs. 10 extent (see column 6 of table IV jer ton (as compared with Rs 11-00 per ton in 1892-94) and form one-third of the weight of canea crushed. they appear to have considerably lowered the cost of production, as the improvements to the mill and machinery have increased the capacity of the factory out of all proportion to the quantity of canes grown on the estate.
Not including the heavy improvement charges, the cost of production on this estate in very satisfactory (Rs 490 per 100 lbs.), and in a normal year, with respect to market prices, would leave a net profit of from Rs to Rs 2.50 (Ra. 240,000 to Rs. 300,000 on a crop of 12,000,000 lbs.).
In dealing with these statistics, the amounts realised for molasses have been neglected.
TABLE VI.
17 August 1909 |
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.
Mr. A. WALTER
11
{Continued
Of the six from which no returns have been received, three are known to be heavily indebte, and it presumed that the remaining three are likewise indebted, otherwise it is probable that information would hav Isen forthcoming This brings the number of estates encumbered by debts other than Government loans to fu The total debt on estates with mills amounts to
Private mortgages Government loans
Total
Rs.
7,325.795
3,869,952
Ra
11.195.747
Out of the 11 estates without debts, four belong to one or other of the English companies.
If it is admitted that the indebtedness of the six estates for which no information has been received is not le than the average indebtedness of the remaining 55 —¿s., Rs. 200,000) sach-the total amount is raised to over Rs 12,000,000 on 55 estates.
3. In order to correctly appreciate the indebtedness it is essential that an approximate value should be given to the estates, and after consultation with Mr Peite, of the Loan Office, and some experienced planters, the following scale has been drawn up-
Value of Estates.
+
For every Million Ibs. of Sugar grown, count
Average Yield of Cane per Arpent
Below 17 tons
17 to 20
20 to 23
23 to 26
Re.
130,000
140,000
150,000
160,000
To the snun thus obtained has to be added the value of the mill as follows:-
Mills making per Season of 125 Days
Tons of Sugar
Count
Mille making per Season of 125 Days
Tons of Sugar
Count
Quantity of Cane Manipulated
Total
Year
Extate grown
Sugar made.
Cost of Cultiva.
Cost of buying
tion.
Canes
Plantera Total.
Cost of Manipa Charges. lation.
Capital
Total Expendi-
ture.
Tons
Tons.
Tons
Tona.
[R8.
Rs.
1892 1893
18,592
1.232
19,824
1,451 1
226,996
12,518
1893 1894
31,359
1.167
32.526
3,187.5
275,686
14,129
1894 1495
1885-1896
28,841
1896-1897
24,487
1897-1898
22.237
20,633 2,078 22.711 1,991-8
32.908 4.067 6,332 30,819 4.166 26.403 2,392-1
282,000
23,205
79,543
3,003-7 2,792-9
254,961
42.422
95,129
R.M. 66,197 91.861 14,848 20,419 14,596 407,108
RB, 18,630
Rs. 324,341
396,524 405,167
242.415
102,465 57,025
29,963
431,868
241,002
38.221
103,255
16,359
398,837
1898 1899
24,836
1449-1900
24,293
1900 1901
26,594
1901-1902
1902-1903.
1903 1904
1904-1905
1905-1906 | 32,520
32,525 7.689
2,819-9 2,816-7 30.190 5.897
38,312 3,845-9 11.718
31.402 3.025-9 11,673 19,729
38,345 3,959-2 19,840 J8,505
45,291 17.367 27,924
43.402 27,735
15,667 17,845 50,965
221.038
70.226
98,306
15,030
404,595
195,182 199.391
60,904
103,158
17,189
376,433
195,078 151,314
44,205 529,988
199,650 |
123,581
138,311
42.447
503,989
261,254
181,470
149,361
41,673
639,758
4,646.5
236,067
172,251
131,957
86,531
626.806
2,500
4,600r 6
247,229
208,831
66,214 155,714
677.988
3,000
5,308-5
1281,624
190,555 146,582
1906-1907
1907-1908
40,659 37,737
15,213 55,871 16,366 54,103
6,113-1
321,919
131,796 149,896
6,000.0
339,209
73,917 692,678 121,053 155,723 119,461
3,500
724,664
4.000
4,500
5,000
5.500
22nd June 1909.
A. WALTER.
Rs.
100,000
6,000
135,000
6,500
170,000
7,000
205,000
7,500
240,000
8,000
275,000 315,000
8,500 9,000-9,500
Ra.
355,000
395,000
435,000
480,000
530,000
580,000
650,000
SIR.
(28.)
Government House. Le Réduit,
11th August 1909. IN continuation of my letter of the 2nd of July, I have the honour to transmit herewith a synopsis of the replies which have been received from the owners of sugar estates to a circular confidential letter which I caused to be addressed to them on receipt of Lord Crewe's despatch of the 8th of April, and which maked for information on certain points connected with their business and property of a confidential nature.
2. From the enclosures herein, it will be observed that those who received copies of the circular were given the option of returning the Schedule (B.), enclosed with it, to the Secretary of your Commission, and that, of the 169 to whom the circular was addressed 90 have, replied direct to the Colonial Secretary, whilst 10 have replied to Mr. Harding, from whom their answers were subsequently received.
3. Their replies have been examined and tabulated and form the subject of Mr. Walter's synopsis, and of the tables attached thereto.
4. I have the honour to request that the enclosures herewith may be treated as strictly confidential.
Sir Frank Swettenham, K.C.M.G.,
Chairman Mauritius Royal Commission,
1 have, &c.,
CAVENDISH BOYLE.
Although no hard-and-fast rule can be established, the above is considered to be a fair basis for evaluation It is evident, however, that each case should be considered with reference to indebtness; it is at least a safe one.
on its merits, taking into account such factors as próximity to the railway, the position of the factory, &c.
4. In Tables I. and II, is given for estates with and without factories :-
(1) The yield of cane per arpent
(2) The sugar grown on the estate in a normal year;
(3) Maximum amount of sugar which the mill can turn out in a day of 15 hours:
(4) The total area of the estate.
The sugar grown on the estate in a normal year has been derived from the amount of cane grown in the year 1907, as given in Table III. of this report, on the assumption that the crop of that year was 15 per cent. below normal, converting the weight of cane into lbs. of sugar at the rate of 2,000 Ibe. to the ton and an extraction of 10 per cent.
From Table III., which also gives the weight of planters' canes crushed, an idea oan be obtained of the position of the mill as a central factory.
5. As an example the estimation of Sans Souci is given below:-
Sugar grown on estate (5-7 million lbs.) -
Capacity of the will per season (9,500 tons)
:
Total
Ra.
912,000 650,000
Rs. 1,362,000
&c..
&c..
&o..
SYNOPSIS OF THE REPLIES TO Colonial SecretaRY'S CONFIDENTIAL CIRCULAR LETTER OF MAY 25TH, 1909.
Out of 169 schedules issued, 90 have been returned; 60 of these are from estates possessing mills. The returns. referring to mortgage debts, including Government loans, are collected in Tables I, and II. appended to this report. It should be remarked that the amounts given by the Loan Office in the table appended to the interim report include capital and interest up to final payment. The balance of the capital only in referred to in this report.
The returns are summarised below:-
Estates with mills
Number from which returns have been received
Number encumbered by debta other than Government loans Number encumbered by debta including Government loans
See Appendix 0 (section 1).
The real value of Sans Souci must be considered to be much higher than this, however, as a considerable sum should be allowed for the advantages derived from its exceptionally good central position and from the means of communication which it possesses; a further sum for the value of the uncultivated land should be added. 6. All the detaile concerning the different estates are included in Table IV. appended to this report, With regard to question 9 K. (4), (5), and (6), the returns are very incomplete they are summarised below.
All Categories of Planters.
66
80
34
55
Cost of converting 100 tons of cane into sugar
Cost of growing 100 tons of cane
Estates with Factories.
Estates without
Factories.
Average of
12 Estates.
9 Estates.
21 Estates.
Ra.
Re.
Ra
803
804
792
255
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
9
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