36
Nil; except the "Little River Company" on the north side, of which the pro- posed capital is £50,000 to be raised partly in Jamaica and partly in Great Britain (Mr. Shore does not state the respective proportions) succeeds in being launched, as to which (despite Mr. Shore's optimistic forecast) query (See Mr. Shore's letter, paragraph 5).
6. What value of new machinery has consequently been imported, and whence? The quantity and value is said to ie "considerable," but I have been unable to obtain detailed information in full. (Perhaps the Collector-General's Office might be able to furnish this?) Mr. Shore says that in the area covered by the North Side Planters Association (of which he is Secretary) £12,000 worth is the figure. This area includes Trelawny and St. Ann, as well as the eastern portion of St. James. Catherine Hall Estate, near Montego Bay, owned partly by a lady in England and by a Mr. Herbert Kerr in Trelawny, has recently spent £7,000 on improved machinery—all such machinery is imported from Great Britain. The carrying out of the proposed central factory schemes would of course necessarily entail large importa- tions of new machinery.
7. To what extent has any of such effects been checked by the recent uncer- tainty as to the continuance of the Convention?
The uncertainty in question has done away with the feeling of confidence here and abroad-with resultant energy-at first engendered by the conclusion of the Convention has for the time being stopped any further outlay in improvements or new machinery (except such as may be necessary to complete such as have been already started)-has suspended, if not killed outright, proposed central factory schemes (necessary for the resuscitation of the industry) by scaring away investors.
8. What acreage of canes has consequently been abandoned? None, so far, that can be traced to this uncertainty. Had proposed central factory schemes been carried out, of course they would have led up to a largely increased acreage.
The uncertainty may be said to have caused the abandonment of such prospective increase in acreage.
SIR,
I have, &c.,
JASPER F. CARGILL,
Resident Magistrate for Trelawny and St. James.
APPENDIX I.
Cinnamon Hill, Little River, Jamaica, December 10, 1906.
I HAVE much pleasure in giving you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor (to be used as he, in his discretion, may think fit), as many particulars as are in my power to give anent the effect of the Brussels Convention on the sugar industry, and the effect of the uncertainty regarding the renewal or otherwise of the present conditions. I reply to your queries in the order named in your letter and give general remarks afterwards:
1. So far prices have not shown any appreciable advance on the average, com- pared with the 10 years previous to the Convention. An improvement was ex-. perienced during the early part of 1905, but this was owing to over-speculation consequent on the rapid absorption of the stocks on hand at the time the Convention opened. Since then prices have gone back to normal, and any rise that may be expected during next season will be due to the weather and labour conditions in the sugar countries, such as occur now and then.
2. The acreage under cane has I think decreased in the last three years owing to the fact that planters have realized that they can only compete with other coun- tries by introducing more modern machinery and by cultivating larger fields under one management, instead of the small areas hitherto worked by estates. Lately there has been a disposition to increase the cane acreage, but the uncertainty as to the renewal of the Convention is somewhat retarding that determination till more is known.
3. The same remarks apply to this question as to the confidence and energy displayed, as, were it definitely known that the Convention would be renewed, a greater amount of confidence would be held as to the future.
4. After the Convention was fairly started capitalists were inclined to look towards sugar in the Colonies, and a good deal of money was laid out on some estates
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36
Nil; except the "Little River Company" on the north side, of which the pro- posed capital is £50,000 to be raised partly in Jamaica and partly in Great Britain (Mr. Shore does not state the respective proportions) succeeds in being launched, as to which (despite Mr. Shore's optimistic forecast) query (See Mr. Shore's letter, paragraph 5).
6. What value of new machinery has consequently been imported, and whence? The quantity and value is said to Le "considerable," but I have been unable to obtain detailed information in full. (Perhaps the Collector-General's Office might be able to furnish this?) Mr. Shore says that in the area covered by the North Side Planters' Association (of which he is Šecretary) £12,000 worth is the figure. This area includes Trelawny and St. Ann, as well as the eastern portion of St. James. Catherine Hall Estate, near Montego Bay, owned partly by a lady in England and by a Mr. Herbert Kerr in Trelawny, has recently spent £7,000 on improved machinery—all such machinery is imported from Great Britain. The carrying out of the proposed central factory schemes would of course necessarily entail large importa- tions of new machinery.
7. To what extent has any of such effects been checked by the recent uncer- tainty as to the continuance of the Convention?
The uncertainty in question has done away with the feeling of confidence here and abroad-with resultant energy-at first engendered by the conclusion of the Convention has for the time being stopped any further outlay in improvements or new machinery (except such as may be necessary to complete such as have been already started) has suspended, if not killed outright, proposed central factory schemes (necessary for the resuscitation of the industry) by scaring away investors.
8. What acreage of canes has consequently been abandoned?
None, so far, that can be traced to this uncertainty. Had proposed central factory schemes been carried out, of course they would have led up to a largely increased acreage. The uncertainty may be said to have caused the abandonment of such prospective increase in acreage.
SIR,
I have, &c.,
JASPER F. CARGILL, Resident Magistrate for Trelawny and St. James.
APPENDIX I.
Cinnamon Hill, Little River, Jamaica, December 10, 1906. I HAVE much pleasure in giving you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor (to be used as he, in his discretion, may think fit), as many particulars as are in my power to give anent the effect of the Brussels Convention on the sugar industry, and the effect of the uncertainty regarding the renewal or otherwise of the present conditions. I reply to your queries in the order named in your letter and give general remarks afterwards :-
1. So far prices have not shown any appreciable advance on the average, com- pared with the 10 years previous to the Convention. An improvement was ex- perienced during the early part of 1905, but this was owing to over-speculation Consequent on the rapid absorption of the stocks on hand at the time the Convention opened. Since then prices have gone back to normal, and any rise that may be expected during next season will be due to the weather and labour conditions in the sugar countries, such as occur now and then.
2. The acreage under cane has I think decreased in the last three years owing to the fact that planters have realized that they can only compete with other coun- tries by introducing more modern machinery and by cultivating larger fields under one management, instead of the small areas hitherto worked by estates. Lately there has been a disposition to increase the cane acreage, but the uncertainty as to the renewal of the Convention is somewhat retarding that determination till more is known.
3. The same remarks apply to this question as to the confidence and energy displayed, as, were it definitely known that the Convention would be renewed, a greater amount of confidence would be held as to the future.
4. After the Convention was fairly started capitalists were inclined to look towards sugar in the Colonies, and a good deal of money was laid out on some estates
in improving their appliances. Central factory schemes were entertained and would have been carried through in nearly all instances if the uncertainty as to the future had not cropped up on the return of the present British Government.
5. On the north side (St. Ann, Trelawny, and St. James, the district embraced by the North Side Sugar Planters' Association, of which I am Honorary Secretary), fully £12,000 have been spent on new machinery during the last three years, and this sum does not include the local labour and materials, nor the usual annual repairs and alterations. Two central factory schemes have been mooted for St. James, one of which in this district is almost settled; but the other, near Montego Bay is in abeyance on account of the uncertainty as to the future of the Convention.
The capital of the Little River Company will be £50,000, and that of the Fair- field Company was to have been £80,000. The capital of the former Company is being raised in Britain and Jamaica, and of the latter the bulk has been promised in Canada.
6. The previous answer applies to the value of new machinery already imported, all of which has been from Britain.
7. The previous answers also apply to this question as to the extent improve- ments have been checked by the uncertainty prevailing. I may, however, state that in this district we are not depending entirely on sugar, but to a large extent on rum, which is in a much better position than it has been for many years past on account of the efforts of Mr. J. C. Nolan.
8. On the north side fully 1,200 acres cane have been abandoned within the last three years, but more than this area would go back into cultivation were it fully determined that the Convention would be renewed. In fact I am in a position to state that considerably over 2,000 acres would be replanted if this were to be, as it has already been proved by the estates that have improved their sugar apparatus that a great saving in cost of manufacture can be effected by centralizing and cane- farming. In this district we hope in a short time to see 500 acres more canes, but the other districts are waiting on the definite pronouncement as to the Convention.
In general-no crop can produce a better profit than cane if modern appliances are used, and central factories established; cane-farmers being encouraged by fair prices to grow and sell canes. By using the best labour-saving machinery the cost can be reduced very considerably and a better return obtained both in quantity and quality of produce. But the small estates as at present constituted cannot do this; they must combine and have a central works for at least 1,000 acres canes. The renewal of the Convention would inspire confidence on account of the field being fair and without favour, so that each country would know the exact conditions that would apply to all. If the Convention were to be abrogated, the return to bounties and cartels would mean an indirect tax on Colonial sugars, and the West Indian planters would be at the mercy of the beet growers as formerly. The Convention has not yet had time to show much on prices beyond making them fair to all, but the increased consumption of sugar all over the world induced by the lowering of the internal duty rates would have the effect of making the production of sugar to even a greater extent tally with the demand; and it is this assurance that planters look forward to.
It is an established fact that sugar provides room for a large body of labourers; that it is not liable to damage by storms; that it is not perishable like fruit; and that Jamaica could provide all the work necessary to its labouring population were central factories and cane-farming established. If the Convention be not renewed, a serious problem would arise by reason of capitalists holding off and the most of the present estates giving up cultivation of canes.
It may be said that other industries would take the place of sugar, but it must be remembered that the essentially sugar districts here are not suited to fruit growing and, as a rule, are subject to periods of drought which cane can withstand better than any other plant.
To sum up, sugar can be produced in Jamaica, allowing that modern appliances are used, to compete with beet, provided that beet and cane are placed on equal terms, with no bounties and cartels.
Jasper F. Cargill, Esq.,
Resident Magistrate, Montego Bay.
I am, &c.,
JOSEPH SHORE, J.P.,
Trelawny and St. James.
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