PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.8
Reference :-
.885
18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
la Convention de Bruxelles, et cela sans avoir à recourir à la dénonciation de celle- ci ou à la réunion d'une nouvelle Conférence: ce serait la suppression par le Gouverne- ment Britannique, et de son propre mouvement, de la prohibition des sucres primés pour y substituer des droits compensateurs.
La Grande-Bretagne est, en effet, le seul pays de l'Union qui, entre l'arme de la prohibition et celle des droits compensateurs dont l'option était laissée aux Etats Contractants, ait choisi la prohibition, et on peut peut-être se demander si, en pous- sant ainsi à l'extrême la pénalisation, l'Administration Anglaise n'a pas accru inutile- ment la charge que la Convention a paru faire peser sur le consommateur Anglais. Si, au lieu de prohiber les sucres Russes, on leur avait simplement appliqué le droit de 8 fr. 14 c. correspondant à la prime, les raffineurs Anglais estiment qu'une partie considérable du sucre Russe destiné à l'exportation aurait pu venir sur le marché Anglais, en acquittant ce droit au moment de l'énorme hausse qui s'est produite en 1904. D'autre part, nécessité dans laquelle se trouvait, de son fait, le Gouverne- ment Anglais d'édicter la prohibition totale pour la moindre prime relevée par la Commission Permanente, était bien faite pour indisposer violemment, quoique à tort, T'opinion publique contre cette Commission et contre la Convention dont elle tenait ses pouvoirs.
En appliquant simplement le système des droits compensateurs, comme l'ont fait depuis 1903 les autres Parties Contractantes, le Gouvernement Anglais éviterait ces difficultés et il donnerait, en même temps, une satisfaction à l'opinion publique sans renoncer aux avantages de la Convention.
Albert Gate, Londres,
10809
Le 4 Avril, 1907.
No. 28.
CANADA.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. (Miscellaneous.)
Downing Street, April 5, 1907.
MY LORD,
I HAVE the honour to request that your Lordship will be good enough to cause the Secretary to the Montreal Board of Trade to be informed that I duly received his letter of the 14th of March, 1907,* urging the continuance of the Brussels Sugar Convention.
I have, &c.,
12641
(No. 153.)
MY LORD,
No. 29.
JAMAICA.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received April 11, 1907.)
[Acknowledged April 23, 1907, No. 141.]
ELGIN.
King's House, Jamaica, March 22, 1907.
IN continuation of my despatch, No. 90, dated the 23rd ultimo,† I have the honour to transmit a copy of the report by the Resident Magistrate for St. James on the result of his enquiries into the effect of the Brussels Convention on the sugar industry in that parish.
I have, &c.,
J. A. SWETTENHAM,
Governor.
• No. 23.
† No. 22.
35
Enclosure in No. 29.
RESIDENT MAGISTRATE for Trelawny and St. James to COLONIAL SECRETARY.
SIR,
Montego Bay, February 4, 1907. In reply to your letter, No. 10452/12627, dated the 4th December, 1906, I have the honour to forward the information gathered in accordance with His Excel- lency's request. On receipt thereof I immediately made the necessary enquiries of all the persons in this parish likely to be able to furnish what was required, and I have received individual replies from many of them, which are appended hereto. Other planters informed me that they would not send in a reply of their own as it was intended to send a joint one from the North Side Planters Association, and I have been waiting for this before sending in my report. The Secretary of that body has, however, just written to notify me that the resolution recently forwarded to you direct, with the other resolutions that have preceded it, is to be taken as the exposition of their joint views. Besides getting written answers, I have also, to some extent, discussed the matters verbally with some of our planters, and there does not appear to be any substantial difference of opinion on the questions sub- mitted. The following is a summary of the answers to each question. I have endeavoured to separate, where possible, statements of the facts which I give first -from those parts of the replies which indulge more or less in prophecies or hypotheses:-
Summary of replies to questions submitted:-
1. As to the effect of the Convention on prices?
Little or none, compared with the average price of previous 10 years.
It is the general consensus of opinion, however, that it has tended to steady the market, and that if it were certain that the Convention would endure, the industry would rest on a more stable and secure footing with regard to prices and otherwise.
2. Effect of the Convention on the extent of acreage under cane (as regards this parish)?
It has not altogether arrested the previous tendency towards decreased culti- vation, which has continued during the past three years.
This continued shrinkage is explained by the fact that the planters have begun to realise that they cannot make sugar pay without investing in better machinery and increasing the areas of cultivation under one management. To give effect to such realisation central factory schemes were mooted, and under the steadying and stimulating influences at first produced by the Convention the necessary capital (not obtainable locally) seemed forthcoming. Two such schemes were started in this parish, one said to be all but completed (in the north-east part of the parish)——— the other strangled in its birth by the uncertainty as to renewal which has recently cropped up and scared away intending investors. Things are now apparently in a state of suspended animation pending knowledge of the decision of the Imperial Government as to the renewal and its effect on the bounty system.
Those central factory schemes, if carried out, would no doubt have led to a largely increased acreage.
3. Effect of the Convention on the development of local confidence and energy? The abolition of bounty-fed competition at first led to a marked development of confidence (if not of energy), local and abroad. This has, however, so far mani- fested itself only in outlays and expenditure on improvements on better machinery, and in the attempted formation, as above stated, of central factory schemes; it has not as yet effected any increase or altogether an arrest in the decrease of the acreage under cultivation; it has not so far led (at any rate as far as this parish is concerned) to the introduction of fresh capital from outside.
It might of course be urged with some force that the Convention has hardly been permitted to have a fair chance hardly is it in force before doubts are raised as to its continuance, with the resulting consequence of depriving it of its good effects until such uncertainty shall be removed. It must also be borne in mind that local confidence or energy are of little value in themselves apart from a correlative confidence and energy abroad-the two must needs act and react on each other- years of straitened circumstances have left the local planters without the capital necessary to resuscitate the industry as aforesaid.
4 and 5. To what extent has Convention led to the introduction of capital from outside and the amount of such fresh capital (in St. James)?
28264
E 2
PUBLIC RECORD
OFFICIE
Reference:→→→
C.O.88
885
18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
35
Enclosure in No. 29.
ATE for Trelawny and St. James to COLONIAL SECRETARY.
Montego Bay, February 4, 1907.
r letter, No. 10452/12627, dated the 4th December, 1906, I vard the information gathered in accordance with His Excel- eceipt thereof I immediately made the necessary enquiries is parish likely to be able to furnish what was required, and lual replies from many of them, which are appended hereto. d me that they would not send in a reply of their own as it joint one from the North Side Planters Association, and I this before sending in my report. The Secretary of that t written to notify me that the resolution recently forwarded other resolutions that have preceded it, is to be taken as the at views. Besides getting written answers, I have also, to the matters verbally with some of our planters, and there any substantial difference of opinion on the questions sub- g is a summary of the answers to each question. I have e, where possible, statements of the facts-which I give first
the replies which indulge more or less in prophecies or
s to questions submitted:-
t of the Convention on prices?
pared with the average price of previous 10 years.
nsensus of opinion, however, that it has tended to steady the vere certain that the Convention would endure, the industry able and secure footing with regard to prices and otherwise. Convention on the extent of acreage under cane (as regards
ier arrested the previous tendency towards decreased culti- qued during the past three
years.
inkage is explained by the fact that the planters have begun not make sugar pay without investing in better machinery is of cultivation under one management. To give effect to factory schemes were mooted, and under the steadying and at first produced by the Convention the necessary capital seemed forthcoming. Two such schemes were started in be all but completed (in the north-east part of the parish)- ts birth by the uncertainty as to renewal which has recently away intending investors. Things are now apparently in imation pending knowledge of the decision of the Imperial enewal and its effect on the bounty system.
ory schemes, if carried out, would no doubt have led to a ge.
invention on the development of local confidence and energy? ounty-fed competition at first led to a marked development energy), local and abroad. This has, however, so far mani- lays and expenditure on improvements on better machinery, rmation, as above stated, of central factory schemes; it has icrease or altogether an arrest in the decrease of the acreage not so far led (at any rate as far as this parish is concerned) esh capital from outside.
be urged with some force that the Convention has hardly a fair chance hardly is it in force before doubts are raised with the resulting consequence of depriving it of its good ainty shall be removed. It must also be borne in mind that gy are of little value in themselves apart from a correlative broad-the two must needs act and react on each other- umstances have left the local planters without the capital the industry as aforesaid.
extent has Convention led to the introduction of capital mount of such fresh capital (in St. James)?
E 2