PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.885
18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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Convention for a further period of ten years, it is possible that, at the end of that period, the necessity for such a Convention would have passed away.
3. I have reason for believing that the erection of another central sugar factory on the windward side of Antigua only awaits the decision of His Majesty's Govern- ment not to denounce the Convention, and the erection of a third factory would, in my opinion, have so beneficial an effect that the island would no longer require an Imperial Grant-in-Aid.
4. If the denouncement of the Convention is a part of the settled policy of His Majesty's Government, the continuance in the case of Antigua, St. Kitts, and Barbados of the Imperial Department of Agriculture seems to be of small use. seeing that in those islands nothing yet has been found, in the opinion of experts, to take the place of sugar cane, and the cultivation of the sugar cane, in consequence of the action of His Majesty's Government, may have to be abandoned.
I have, &c.,
BICKHAM SWEET-ESCOTT
Enclosure in No. 87.
Governor
RESOLUTION passed at a General Meeting of the Antigua Agricultural and Commercial Society, held on July 5, 1907.
The Antigua Agricultural and Commercial Society having heard that it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to denounce the penal clauses of the Brussels Convention, respectfully begs to express the belief that the result of this to the sugar-producing Colonies of the West Indies, and to this Presidency in particular, will be disastrous. and this Society is greatly alarmed at the gloomy outlook for these Colonies consequent on the withdrawal of His Majesty's Government from an agreement which has placed the sugar producers of the world on something like equal conditions, and has caused a comparative return of prosperity to His Majesty's Colonies in these parts.
The penal clauses of the Brussels Convention have placed the production of sugar on a perfectly fair basis, and the wisdom of the Convention has been proved by the facts:-.
(1) That owing to these clanses a fair competition has existed between sugar
producers.
(2) That production in those countries that gave bounties has not decreased. (3) That cane sugar-producing countries have been able to hold their own
without assistance.
(4) That the price of sugar to the consumer has not thereby increased; any increase which may have taken place being due to duties imposed on sugar imported into the United Kingdom.
By the refusal of His Majesty's Government to continue this agreement these Colonies shall revert to the unhealthy condition which prevailed before the coming into operation of the Brussels Convention.
This Society respect fully represents to Ilis Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies the unfairness that will result if they again have to enter into competition with sugar bounty fed or otherwise artificially cheapened, and would ask for some pronouncement from His Majesty's Ministers that the interests of these Colonies will be properly safeguarded when the time comes for a new agreement to be made between the parties to the Brussels Convention.
In forwarding the above resolution the Committee of the Antigua Agricultural and Commercial Society beg once more to call attention to the memorandum sub- mitted by them on March 25th, 1907* (a copy of which is attached), and add the following facts :—
Within the last few years the amount of poverty in the island has steadily decreased, and especially during the past two years, and at the same time our prisons were never as empty as they are now. doubtedly the result of the increased amount of money in circulation.
Enclosure in No. 38 in Miscellaneous No. 206.
This is un**
73
which is admitted by merchants, shopkeepers and others who come into close trade relations with the community.
This increased circulation may be traced largely to several causes :——
(1) The considerable sums of money expended in the island for the erection of sugar factories and railways. (And it is not without interest to point out that the whole of the money expended on machinery for Gunthorpe's and Bendal's factories found its way into British work- shops.)
(2) The large amount of money paid for the purchase of peasants' canes. (3) The increased rates paid for wages in connection with the sugar industry,
and generally an increased demand for labour.
(4) The additional areas of land now brought under cultivation.
We might also point out that since the autumn of 1906, the imports into this Presidency have been greater than for corresponding periods of previous years.
It. is to be noted that while a certain amount of money has returned to the Presidency from emigrants to the canal zone and elsewhere, yet this only accounts for a small proportion of the improvements above referred to.
We again raise the point that sugar is, and will remain, the staple industry
of this Presidency, and on its presence will largely depend the success which may attend the development of subsidiary industries such as cotton: as cotton alone will neither supply adequate means of maintaining the present labouring popula- tion nor ensure its continuous employment.
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No. 88.
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE BRISTOL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.. NIR,
Downing Street, August 19, 1907. I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to acknowledge the receipt of the Petition, dated the 7th instant,* addressed to his Lordship by the Bristol Incorporated Chamber of Commerce and Shipping with regard to the Brussels Sugar Convention, and to request you to inform the Petitioners that His Majesty's Government have not been unmindful of the considerations submitted in their Petition.
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No. 89.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
I am, &c.,
C. P
LUCAS.
August 22, 1907.
MR. MITCHELL. THOMSON asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he would cause to be published the resolutions relative to the attitude of His Majesty's Government with regard to the Sugar Convention which have been received from bodies in the Colonies since the publication of [Cd. 3565.] of 1907, together with the covering despatches forwarding those resolutions.
MR. CHURCHILL: "There will probably be more resolutions, with relative correspondence, and the Secretary of State is unwilling to incur the expense of printing in instalments. I shall be happy to supply the honourable member with a list of the resolutions if he desires it.'
MR. MITCHELL THOMSON: "May I ask if after a lapse of two or three months the resolutions received will be printed, together with the despatches."
MR. CHURCHILL: "I will consider that."
• No, 84.
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No. 90.
QUEENSLAND.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 7.55 a.m., August 24, 1907.)
TELEGRAM.
[Acknowledged Angust 29, 1907. Miscellaneons,]
Australian Sugar Producers Association, in conference Townsville, unani- mously resolved to make strong protest against any denunciation of Brussels Con- vention as this would be ruinous Australian sugar industry.—- CHELMSFORD,
30807
No. 91. JAMAICA.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received August 27, 1907.)
(No. 439.)
King's House, Jamaica, August 8, 1907. MY LORD,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's circular despatch of the 2nd ultimo,* transmitting a copy of a despatch addressed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to His Majesty's Minister at Brussels on the subject of the Brussels Sugar Convention.
2. In this connection I beg leave to refer your Lordship to my despatch on this subject, No. 389, dated the 4th ultimo, which has crossed yours under acknowledgment.
Attached to 30997
No. 92.
I have, &c.,
SYDNEY OLIVIER,
Governor.
SIR A. HARDINGE (BRUSSELS) to SIR EDWARD GREY. (Received August 23, 1907.)
(No. 7. Commercial.) (Telegraphic.) P.
Brussels, August 28, 1907. Sugar. Representatives of all the Powers signed the Additional Act and Declaration to-day.
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No. 93.
GLASGOW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received September 19, 1907.) [Acknonsledged September 25, 1907.]
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be obliged by your laying before the Right Honourable the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies.
This motion, I may explain, awaited the Statutory Meeting of Directors, and since it was tabled the Convention was renewed. The Directors, however, instructed that the resolution be forwarded in the hope that should any bounty-fed sugar reach this country the matter may be reconsidered by His Majesty's Government.
I am, &c.,
WILLIAM H. HILL,
Enclosure in No. 93.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES.
Secretary.
Incorporated by Royal Charter 1783 Supplemented in 1860. 7, West George Street, Glasgow.
Extract from Statutory Meeting of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Glasgow of date 9th September, 1907.
*
*
*
Mr. Alexander Wylie addressed the Directors in support of the following motion of which notice was given in the billet calling the meeting:-
"In 1899 the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures memorialised His Majesty's Government in favour of countervailing duties upon bounty-fed sugar, and now the Directors looking to the great success of the policy then recommended since it was adopted by the Brussels Sugar Convention in 1903, inasmuch as it has been the means of nearly abolishing sugar bounties, which for many years acted very powerfully against the interests of sugar-growing in our Colonies, and of sugar refining in this country, and also inasmuch as it has ensured a continuance of the supply of cane sugar, which is of vital importance, increased the production of sugar within the Empire, and helped to give larger business to the sugar-using trades, carnestly request His Majesty's Government to reconsider their decision to withdraw from the terms of the Convention by which it was agreed to prohibit the importation of, or impose countervailing duties upon, bounty-fed sugar, a decision which has already had an unsettling effect upon our Home and Colonial sugar industries, and may yet cause a return to the former injurions system of bounties."
In doing so Mr. Wylie afforded information and quoted statistics showing the condition of the sugar and inter-related industries before and after the signing of the Brussels Sugar Convention, adverting in his speech to the stimulus which had been given to these industries at home and in the Colonies through the conclusion of the Convention, and to the condition which he feared would recur should the Conven- tion not be renewed by this country.
Mr. Albert A. Smith seconded the motion, which was also supported by Mr.
T. F. Crawford and, on being put to the meeting, was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. Wylie further moved that a copy of the resolution be transmitted to the Prime Minister and His Majesty's Foreign and Colonies Secretaries, which was also unanimously agreed to.
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Glasgow, September 17, 1907.
Brussels Sugar Convention.
As instructed by the Directors of the Chamber at their meeting on 9th instant,
I enclose herewith extract from their minutes on the above subject, which I shall
SIR,
• No. 40).
† No. 65.
See enclosures 2 and 3 of No. 98.
No. 94.
BARBADOS.
THE ACTING GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received September 23, 1907.)
(Confidential.) MY LORD.
[Copy to Board of Trade, October 8, 1907. L.F.]
Government House, Barbados, August 28, 1907. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's despatch
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