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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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52
REMARKS.
British Guiana is one of the largest cane sugar producing Colonies belonging to the British Empire, and sugar and its by-products, represent about 75 per cent. in value of the total exports of the Colony. Enormous sums have been invested by the owners of sugar estates in improved machinery, drainage, water supply and immigration, and the feeling of security and improved credit gained by the sugar industry since the signing of the Brussels Convention, would be entirely lost were the Home Government unfortunately to withdraw its adherence to the Convention. The sugar industry of British Guiana and the West Indies was handicapped almost to the extent of extinction by bounty-supported sugar imported into England from Continental countries, and the withdrawal from the Convention at the present time, when the industry is in anything but a flourishing condition, would result in many sugar plantations in the Colony being abandoned. This would be followed by a very serious diminution in the revenues of the Colony, and the wage-earning popu- lation would be seriously affected. There is no other industry known in the Colony at present that could take the place of the sugar industry, and such minor industries as are slowly coming to the front, depend in a great measure, as far as their future success is concerned, on a continuance of the sugar industry. There are 133,000 East Indian immigrants resident in the Colony, and of this number 73,000 or there- about are resident on the sugar estates, and the majority of those not resident depend mainly on the sugar estates for employment. The sugar estates circulate in round figures about $3,000,000 per annum in the shape of wages, and about half of this amount is earned by negro labourers, including artisans of all trades.
OSCAR WEBER, Secretary,
Board of Agriculture.
April 8, 1907.
15033
No. 42.
SIERRA LEONE.
THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(No. 116.)
MY LORD,
(Received April 29, 1907.) [Answered by No. 52.]
Government House, Freetown, Sierra Leone,
April 10, 1907.
AT the request of the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship copy of a resolution passed by that body on the 11th of March, 1907, with reference to the Brussels Sugar Bounty Convention.
I have, &c.,
G. B. HADDON SMITH,
Acting Governor.
Enclosure in No. 42.
SIERRA LEONE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Extract of Minutes of General Committee Meeting held on Monday 11th March,
*
1907.
*
*
The Brussels Sugar Bounty Convention.
"That having regard to the facts and objects of the. West India Com- mittee as stated in its letter dated 14th February, 1907, concerning the statement That the present Government have decided not to continue as parties to the Convention after September 1st, 1908,' and further to give notice of their decision to withdraw before September 1st, 1907,' this Chamber hereby accords its cordial support to the West India Committee's move- ments for urging the continuance of His Majesty's Government to the Brussels Sugar Bounty Convention."
*
13078
SIR,
53
No. 43.
NATAL.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. (Miscellaneous.)
Downing Street, April 29, 1907. I HAVE the honour to request that you will be good enough to inform the Secretaries to the Chamber of Commerce of Pietermaritzburg, that I have duly received their letter of the 21st March last* communicating a resolution of the Executive Committee of the Chamber urging the continuance of the Brussels Sugar Convention, and that the question of the continued adherence of the United Kingdom to the Convention is receiving the careful consideration of His Majesty's Government.
I have, &c.,
13079
No. 44.
ORANGE RIVER COLONY.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. (Miscellaneous.)
ELGIN.
MY LORD,
Downing Street, April 30, 1907. I HAVE the honour to request that your Lordship will be good enough to inform the Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce of the Orange River Colony, that I have duly received his letter of the 19th March last + urging, on behalf of the Chamber, the continuance of the Brussels Sugar Convention, and that the question of the continued adherence of the United Kingdom to the Convention is receiving the careful consideration of His Majesty's Government.
I have, &c.,
14090
SIR,
(No. 134.)
No. 45.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
ELGIN.
Downing Street, April 30, 1907.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 145, of the 28th of March, forwarding a copy of a letter from the Singapore Chamber of Commerce on the subject of the Brussels Sugar Convention.
2. The Chamber should be informed that the question whether or not the United Kingdom should continue to adhere to the Convention is receiving the careful consideration of His Majesty's Government.
14616
No. 46.
CANADA.
I have, &c.,
ELGIN.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL (Miscellaneous.)
Downing Street, April 30, 1907.
MY LORD,
I HAVE the honour to request that Your Lordship will be good enough to inform the Secretary to the Vancouver Board of Trade, that I have duly received his letter of the 12th April, 1907, § communicating a resolution of the Board urging
• No. 31.
↑ No. 30.
‡ No. 39.
§ No. 40.