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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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69. It has been suggested that it is possible that after the War, Germany and Austria might prohibit the importation of Malta potatoes, which, as is known, before the War, were almost exclusively exported to Germany and Austria. do not believe there is any danger of any such prohibition, inasmuch as Germany, in our opinion, imported our potatoes as a necessity, and we do not see that such a necessity will cease to exist after the War. As above stated, our crop fetches a high price when it reaches the foreign markets before the crops of other countries, If, however, such a prohibition is a circumstance which the War cannot alter. enforced it will be the duty of the Agricultural Department to find new outlets and to suggest to farmers the particular seed in order to obtain the quality suitable to such new markets.

70. We trust that when the system of preferential trade or customs union within the Empire will be established this product will again find a sale on the British market. It is known that, as a result of the preference given by France to her North African Colonies and Protectorate, Malta potatoes, which had a good sale on the French market before the preference was established, are now completely

shut out.

71. Cumin Seed.-The Malta trade statistics show that the exportation of this article was as follows :-

1910-11.

£22,414

1911-12. £14,374

1912-13. £8,384

1913-14. £9,741

1914-15. £17,921

It is estimated that about £40,000 will be derived from the crop of 1916. Malta cumin seed is superior in quality to that of any other country, and conse- As this trade is in a quently always finds a ready market and a fair price. flourishing condition we have no improvement to suggest.

72. Onions.-The exportation of this crop was :-

1910-11. £5,936

1911-12. £9,249

1912-13. £16,280

1913-14. £9,631

1914-15. £31,142

Our crop is inferior to that of Egypt and of other producing countries, so that exportation takes place profitably only when the Egyptian crop fails. The cultivation of onions is in the nature of a gamble in the sense that our farmers sow a quality which yields the heaviest crop in the hope that the Egyptian crop may fail. If this happens the farmer realizes a substantial profit owing to quantity. On the other hand if the Egyptian crop is good there is no demand for exporta- tion, and as this particular quality cannot be stored a large quantity is allowed

to rot.

73. Our crop is gathered at the end of June, which is rather late for the foreign markets. The Agricultural Department should study the possibility of obtaining an earlier crop, which would secure a market at all times for this product.

74. The Agricultural Department should also induce the farmers to grow a uniform variety, as lack of uniformity is a great drawback, and one of the reasons why, as previously stated, foreign markets only take our onions when no other qualities are obtainable from other countries.

75. Cotton. The figures shown in the Customs returns are :—

1910-11.

1911-12.

£3,062

1912-13. £11,576

1913-14. £7,022

1914-15. £1,184

£4,429 The decrease in the amount exported in 1914-15 is mainly due to difficulties of exportation. Cotton is never grown in Malta as a main crop but as an extra subsidiary crop. It is more glossy than that of other countries, and for this special quality there would be a good demand from abroad, but the staple being too short and the quantity produced being limited, it does not offer sufficient inducement to big mill owners abroad to readjust their machinery to suit the staple. The exportation of this article is almost exclusively limited to Italy, although small quantities were sent to Germany. The exportation to Italy is due to the fact that the small concerns there find it worth their while to readjust their machinery, more particularly for the production of special qualities of cloth.

76. If textile industries expand, as we anticipate, the local crop would be absorbed by local demand. It would be the duty, however, of the Agricultural and Fisheries Department to experiment in the model farms with the Egyptian and American seed in order to ascertain whether the short staple is due to the fact that the seed has not been renewed, and whether any one of those two qualities might give good results in Malta. without making the local quality lose its special gloss and whether those qualities can resist the special circumstances under which this crop is cultivated in Malta.

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77. Products for Local Consumption. The other products which are not exported, but are grown for local consumption, are wheat, maize, barley, clover. carob-beans, and market produce. The local production of wheat amounts to only one-sixth of the requirements of the population, the remainder is imported. Imported wheat is taxed. We do not believe that the removal of such tax is feasible or desirable; not feasible, because the revenue derived therefrom amounts to about one-fourth of the total revenue of these islands, and it would be almost impossible to secure it from other sources; not desirable, as any reduction of the tax would tend to decrease the home production. If, for any at present unforeseen reason, our exportation of potatoes, cumin seed, and onions should cease, unless the tax on imported wheat is maintained, our land would remain uncultivated.

78. Cattle.-Owing to the high prices of cattle food and to the high price of meat due to the War, locally-bred cattle have become practically extinct. Advances should be made to the farmers after the War by the Agricultural Depart- ment or bank for the purpose of restocking the island. Cattle-breeding and cattle-fattening are most important, not only as a source of meat supply but also as a means of producing manure, which is all-important considering that no chemical manures are used; and there is a great difference of opinion whether, owing to the shallowness of our soil, the successful use of chemical manures is possible.

79. Commerce und Industries.-Trade cannot be fostered, existing industries cannot be developed, and new industries cannot be created unless a better under- standing be established between the Government and local constituted bodies. In the past it appears that the Government only consulted such constituted bodies spasmodically and on matters of small importance. This fact has had a two- fold effect. In the first instance the Government have been deprived of the advice of persons who might reasonably be supposed to be duly qualified to advise, and consequently blunders have been committed, especially in commercial matters, of which the postal service in 1913 is a typical example. In the second instance the constituted bodies lost much of their importance, and in many cases became all but useless, with the result that people of standing began to doubt whether it was worth while serving on such boards, and the confidence of the public was shaken to such an extent that, if a really qualified gentleman was public-spirited enough to come forward his intentions were misunderstood by the public, who Ettributed to him personal motives.

80. Chamber of Commerce. The presidents of that institution, year after year, complained that they did not receive sufficient support from the mercantile community, and attributed the lack of interest in the progress of commerce and trade to the fact that the members of the mercantile community believed that their presence at the Exchange was futile owing to the scant consideration that the Chamber of Commerce received from the Government. At the elections of the Chamber very few members took part, so that the Chamber of Commerce, by law the representative of the mercantile community, practically became the repre- sentative of a very small section. Matters in the latter three or four years have somewhat improved. A better understanding was established between the Chamber and the Collector of Customs; Mr. Byatt, as Lieutenant-Governor, in 1915 publicly stated that he relied on the co-operation and advice of the Chamber in all matters connected with trade. This statement has been repeated by Mr. Bonavia when Acting Lieutenant-Governor. The assurances given by these officials have had the best effect. In 1916 the number of members of the Exchange greatly increased, and we feel certain that the members of the Chamber of Commerce, now knowing that they are expected to advise the Government on matters connected with trade, and that their suggestions will receive proper consideration, and that they enjoy the confidence of the mercantile community, will heartily co-operate with the Government for the commercial welfare of these islands. (The Collector of Customs, in his official capacity, declines to take any part in the above remarks on the conduct of the Government.)

81. Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce.--On the 4th November, 1852, an association was formed for the purpose of giving effect to the Secretary of State's despatch, dated the 24th April, 1852, by which the British Colonies were invited to form associations in connection with the Society of Arts, Manufac tures, and Commerce in London. The London society had been originally insti- tuted to promote trade between the Mother Country and the Colonies. As far as we can trace the local society was never really in touch with the parent society,