365
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :~~
CO885/25
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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deed of mortgage, but I understand that they have not done so because they were not certain that they would be acting in accordance with the policy of the Imperial Government.
14. There would therefore remain for further consideration the cocoa estates of Messrs. Neubauer & Company and F. W. Meyer, which are not being administered by the Liquidating Committee. The information at my disposal with regard to these estates is not at all definite, more especially on the point of ownership of those of Messrs. Neubauer & Company, and I am therefore unable to say what action, if any, should be taken for their compulsory sale.
15. One further point arises in connexion with the proposal to sell the cocoa estates, and that is with reference to the price at which they may be sold. Owing to the condition of the money market on account of the War, if these estates are to be sold to the highest bidder I apprehend that the realizations will be very much under the value of the estates. Mr. Reimer's cocoa estate has been valued at $50,000, and it is doubtful whether at a sale it will realize anything like that sum. Instances are not wanting in support of my apprehension. It seems neces- sary, therefore, that definite instructions should be obtained on this aspect of the question.
10th April, 1916.
D. SLYNE
Receiver-General, Chairman, Liquidating Committee.
Enclosure 2 in No. 174.
REPORT BY THE RECEIVER-General, 6th March, 1916.
HONOURABLE ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY,
THERE are five mortgages in connexion with the business of Messrs. Schjolseth & Holler (in liquidation) with which the Liquidating Committee are not authorized to deal.
2.
The particulars of these mortgages are as follows:-
(a) From Hasanally, in favour of Mr. August Holler and William Holler, for
$756-23;
(b) Edward H. Falby, in favour of Mr. August Holler, for $200, with
further advances not to exceed $200;
(c) Primitivo Tetesao, in favour of Mr. August Holler, for $5,000;
(d) Jobanna Williams, in favour of Mr. August Holler, for $1,500, with
further advances not to exceed $1,000; and
(e) Frederick Aqui, in favour of Mr. August Holler, for $100, with further
advances not to exceed $800.
3. Mr. August Holler is the sole proprietor of the business carried on under the name of Messrs. Schjolseth & Holler.
4. It will be observed from the particulars given in paragraph 2 that four
of the mortgages are in the name of Mr. August Holler personally, and one is in favour of Mr. August Holler jointly with his brother, Mr. William Holler.
5. The mortgage given by Mr. Primitivo Tetesao is the only one recorded in the books of the firm.
6. The Liquidating Committee have been advised that, the mortgages being in the name of Mr. August Holler, personally, and there being no entries in the books (except in one case) to show that the amounts lent were moneys of the firm, they would not be justified as liquidators of the business of Messrs. Schjolseth & Holler to realize the securities. In view of the fact that Mr. August Holler is the sole proprietor of the business in liquidation, the Liquidating Committee would like to have the directions of His Excellency the Governor in the matter.
7. I should add that the mortgages of Messrs. Frederick Aqui, Edward H. Falby, and Hasanally were due on the 30th November, 1912, 17th May, 1914, and 23rd December, 1915, respectively. The other mortgages are not yet due. Hasanally has paid interest on his mortgage up to date, but not the other mortgagors.
6th March, 1916.
D. SLYNE,
Receiver-General, Chairman, Liquidating Committee.
200
Enclosure 3 in No. 174.
REPORT BY THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, 9th May, 1916.
HONOURABLE Acting Colonial SecretaRY,
2.
E
In order to enable His Excellency to report on the question asked by the Secretary of State in paragraph 5 of his Confidential despatch of the 18th February, 1916, as to whether there is any trace of the exercise of the influence of German commercial firms in the Colony with the object of diverting cocoa to Hamburg," I am giving herewith a short account of the operations of the principal German firm engaged in this class of business, viz., Messrs. Neubauer & Company.
Previous to 1901 the bulk of the best estate's brands of cocoa was shipped to the London market consigned to the firms of J. Marryat & Sons and F. Barnes & Company. On these firms going out of business Mr. F. A. Neubauer, associated with Mr. Huttenhein, both of Hamburg, commenced operations in the Colony by making advances to cocoa planters and taking security therefor on their properties. Their registered cable address was "Cocoabank, Trinidad," which indicates the nature of the business they had in view, and, so as to have a representative in London conversant with the cocoa trade, they employed there a Mr. R. J. Chapman, a gentleman who had managed Messrs. Marryat & Sons' cocoa business. In this way they gained full particulars of all passing in the London market, and turned it to the best account in working their Hamburg-Trinidad business.
3.
At the commencement they acted liberally with their clients, and in a short time were financing many of the principal estate owners who had previously dealt with Messrs. Marryat & Sons and Barnes & Comapny, and shipped their best brands of cocoa to those firms in London. The majority of these estate owners soon after formed the Cocoa Planters' Association, who either sold their cocoa locally or shipped it abroad, when I understand it was either consigned to, or was subject to the control of, Messrs. Neubauer & Company, and, although the cocoa may not have been shipped to Hamburg, the effect of this firm's transactions was to transfer the control of the cocoa from London to Hamburg and to divert it from the London market.
4. It would be interesting to have an estimate made of the area and the production of the many properties which have come into the possession of this firm in so short a time, and also a return of the many mortgages held by them on other properties, which could, no doubt, be obtained from Mr. Carl de Verteuil, under whom their estates are now being worked, and who is also President of the Cocoa Planters' Association.
5.
6.
The properties owned by them are, I understand, as under
Las Almas," formerly the property of J. F. A. Farfan.
"Santa Maria,”
""
H. Fowler.
"
C. D. Scheult.
גן
E. Maingot.
H. Carraciolo.
11
A. Knox Wight.
66 Indian Trail,"
11
"f
Sin Verguenza,”
#
San Antonia,"
"
33
11
C
Coryal,"
11
17
San Carlos,"
"
"1
31
"
"
"
"Glencora,"
#1
""
1
Hermitage,"
"
"Rescue
"Perseverance,"
C. Metz.
91
"
31
"San Expedito"
Santa Cecilia,"
C
"St. Joseph Nurseries,"
31
"
35
""
H. Carraciolo.
G. F. A. Farfan.
In addition, they hold 2,223 shares at £1 in the Trinidad Cocoa and Coffee Company, Limited, and a mortgage of $34,600 on the estates belonging to that Company, as well as mortgages on other properties, including "La Vega and "El Salvador."
"
7. Associated with the Dresdner Bank, they hold mortgages on the Wilson Mira Flores," properties. viz., "La Siparia," "La Josephina," "Soconusco," and "La Victoria," the ownership of which has been, or was to have been, trans- ferred to the Trinidad Properties, Limited, of which the Dresdner Bank and Neubauer are the only shareholders.
8. I put up herewith a return showing the percentage of the cocoa produc- tion of the Colony sent to the United Kingdom, France (Havre for orders), United States, and Germany for the years 1900 to 1913, from which it will be seen that the exports to the United Kingdom have steadily declined during those years from 38.6 per cent. in 1900 to 82 per cent. in 1913, the majority of the cocoa now going to the United States and Havre for orders.
210
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