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4. No new machinery has been introduced.

3.

5. Serge Island has just changed hands-a Canadian syndicate now owns it- but the Convention would not affect any sugar exported to Canada from this estate, and the sale had nothing to do with the Convention.

6. In this Parish, therefore, it cannot be said that the Brussels Convention has had any effect one way or the other, nor will the continuance or rejection of the Convention have any influence on the increase of the sugar industry in the Parish

of St. Thomas.

To the Honourable

The Colonial Secretary.

I have, &c.,

G. G. TAYLOR,

Custos, St. Thomas.

Enclosure 10 in No. 22.

11732

29

No. 24.

BRITISH GUIANA.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

(Received April 2, 1907.)

[Answered by No. 50.]

(No. 68.)

MY LORD,

Government House, Georgetown, Demerara,

March 16, 1907.

I HAVE the honour to transmit, at the request of the Planters' Association and Chamber of Commerce of this Colony, copies of Resolutions which were passed at a meeting of those bodies on the 14th and 15th instant, on the subject of the continuance of the Brussels Sugar Convention.

2. The time is too short to admit of my making any remarks upon the situation in this despatch, but I will do so in a later despatch.

I have, &c.,

F. M. HODGSON.

RESOLUTIONS of "The Westmoreland Sugar Planters' Association.”

Westmoreland Sugar Planters' Association. Whereas it has lately been forcibly brought before this Association of the likelihood of His Majesty's Government giving twelve months' notice to denounce the Brussels Convention.

2. Whilst this may be part of the Imperial policy of the Government, it will, if carried into effect, cause the ultimate ruin of the sugar industry in this Island.

3. This Association would respectfully ask His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, if in such an event the British Government would permit the Government of this Colony to endeavour to negotiate with the United States a reciprocal agreement, which would admit into the United States the sugar of this Colony on favourable terms, though such a preference was only obtainable if it placed at a tariff disadvantage the imports of all other countries into this Island.

4. That whilst this Association is fully alive to the fact that it is impossible that any Colonial dependency can be allowed to interfere with the Imperial Policy of His Majesty's Government, this Association, relying on the fair play which it believes it will receive at the hands of the Covernment, expects that no obstacles will be put in the way of the Jamaica Government in its attempt to save an important industry, which gives employment to thousands of the population, but that the Home Government will do all in its power to further the object in view..

5. That the above resolutions be sent to His Excellency the Governor, and he be requested to forward it to the Right Honourable the Earl of Elgin, Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Enclosure 1 in No. 24.

EXTRACT from the Minutes of a Meeting of the British Guiana Planters' Association held at Georgetown, Demerara, on Thursday, the 14th March, 1907.

It was proposed by the IIonourable R. G. Duncan, seconded by the Honourable B. Howell Jones, and unanimously carried,

That whereas the Home Government will this year have under considera- tion the question of its continued adherence to the Brussels Sugar Convention Be it resolved,

That this Association views with serious alarm the possibility of the Home Government deciding to give notice of its intention to withdraw from the Convention. The enactment of the Brussels Sugar Convention helped to restore confidence in the British Colonial cane sugar industry, it placed the sugar industry in this Colony on a more stable basis, and materially improved its credit. The acreage under cane cultivation has increased, and a large quantity of machinery has been imported, with the object of improv- ing manufacture and reducing the cost of production. The amount of capital invested in the industry exceeds $10,000,000, and a sum of fully $3,000,000 is paid yearly in wages on the sugar estates. Sugar and its by-products represent over 70 per cent. in value of the total exports of the Colony. The withdrawal of the Home Government from the Brussels Sugar Convention would, in the opinion of this Association, lead to the re-establishment of unfair trade in sugar by which prices in the markets of the world would be forced below the natural cost of production, and the continued existence of the sugar cane industry in this Colony would be seriously jeopardised. A true copy:

J. C. McCOWAN, Secretary.

10809

No. 23.

THE MONTREAL BOARD OF TRADE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

MY LORD,

(Received March 25, 1907.) [Acknowledged: see No. 28.]

Montreal, March 14, 1907.

I HAVE the honour to say that the Council of this Board having been asked by the West India Committee, of 15, Seething Lane, London, to assist it in its efforts to secure a continuance of the Brussels Sugar Bounty Convention, has given the matter consideration and has, moreover, consulted the heads of the two sugar refineries in this city, and, as the result of this action, it now urges upon you the continuance of the said convention.

I have, &c.,

GEO. HADRILL,

Secretary.

**

Enclosure 2 in No. 24.

THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN.

SIR,

Georgetown, Demerara, March 15, 1907. I HAVE the honour to inform you that at a meeting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce held this morning, it was unanimously resolved :—

That the Council of the Chamber of Commerce requests His Excellency the Governor to strongly urge on the Home Government the great evil which would befall this Colony and the West Indies if the Home Government retires from the Brussels Convention. The abrogation of the Convention would lead to the re-establishment of kartels and other unfair methods of trade, and

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