CO885-(7-8)-2 — Page 239

CO882 & CO885 Colonial Office Confidential Prints 理藩院機密印刊 All

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :--

سائي سياسيا

C.O. 882

8 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

|ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

258

I enclose also, for facility of reference, a statement of the loans made under Ordinance No. 34 of 1902, as some of the sugar estates obtained loans both under the Advances-in-Aid and Mechanical Transport Loan Ordinances.

Loans were made in 1903 to 43 sugar estates under the Advances-in-Aid Ordi- nance, and to 9 small planters. Of these only 5 sugar estates and 3 small planters have been able to meet their obligations. The Beau Plan Sugar Estate, the only one which had elected to refund the whole amount of the loan in one instalment on the 30th June, 1904, was in a position to repay only one-half of the sum, and asked that the payment of the other half be postponed to the 30th June, 1905.

The applications for postponement were very carefully considered by the Board, and in each case, except for the small planters, the production of the balance sheet of the estate for the financial year, showing the receipts and disbursements, and the amount standing to the credit or debit of the estate at the close of the previous year, was insisted on. The recommendations of the Board have been submitted to you separately and, I am glad to say, have met with your approval.

Of the remaining 38 estates, 32 have been granted the postponement of both instalments to the 30th June, 1905, and the 30th June, 1906, respectively; 3 estates have been allowed to pay half of the first instalment due on the 30th June, 1904, the balance being paid on the 30th June, 1905, and the second instalment on the 30th June, 1906; one estate has been granted a delay to the 30th September, 1904, to pay the first instalment due on the 30th June last, on which date it in- tends to pay also the second instalment; one estate has been allowed to pay th of the first instalment due on the 30th June last, and to postpone payment of the remaining ths to the 30th June, 1905, and the second instalment to the 30th June, 1906; and two estates have been allowed to postpone the second instalment payable on the 30th June, 1905, to the 30th June, 1906.

As regards the small planters, five have been granted the postponement of both instalments to the 30th June, 1905, and 30th June, 1906, and one has paid fths of his loan and has been allowed to postpone payment of the balance of the half i.e., th to the 30th June, 1905, and the second instalment to the 30th June, 1906.

Statement No. 3 gives in a concise form full particulars regarding these trans-

actions.

Of the estates which have been granted postponements for the repayment of their loans, 17 had balances varying from Rs. 94,789 to Rs. 2,932 against the estate at the end of the last crop. The other estates had a balance to their credit on the year's transactions, but which was inferior in some cases to their debit balance at the beginning of the crop 1902-03.

The expenditure incurred by the estates in providing mechanical transport, and in constructing the necessary earthworks where the plant had been provided under Ordinance No. 34 of 1902, has been considerable, and although the crop is the largest on record the production being 225,000 tons-the profit to the planters has been very much reduced in consequence of the enhanced cost of labour and the low prices at which the bulk of the sugars were sold. The planters are not, however, I am afraid, at the end of their financial difficulties, and I fear that the majority of those who have incurred loans will not be in a position, on the 30th June, 1905, to meet their liabilities to the Government. Surra is still prevalent in the Colony, and, although a few animals are imported from time to time, the larger number of which die shortly after they are put to work. the extension of the system of tramways on the estates must be continued, and additional rolling stock provided if the canes are to be brought to the mill at a reasonable cost. It is generally agreed that this year's crop will not exceed 160,000 tons, and although there is reasonable ground for hoping that there will be a rise in the price of sugar, no positive assurance can be given. If prices rise to Rs. 9 or Rs. 9.50 per cwt. planters may tide over their difficulties, but, otherwise, with a reduced crop, I fear that notwithstanding every possible economy in the working of their estates, the majority will not be in a better position at the end of this crop to pay the instalment on their debt than they were on the 30th June iast.

F. A. GIBSON, Acting Colonial Secretary.

259

STATEMENT OF LOANS MADE UNDER "THE MEChanicaḥ Transport Loan" Ordinance, 1902.

To whom Consented.

J. Regnard, for Cie. Sucrière de Mon Desert...

C. Antelme, for the Mauritius Sagar Estates Co.

C. Antelme, for the Mauritius Sugar Estates Co.

Louis Noel, for Society D'Arifat et Cie.

L. A. M. du Pelonx de St. Romain and R. de

Rocheconste.

E. de Rochecouste

-

***

...

A. Eynaud for A. Arnaud & Co.

Louis Noel for Sy. D'Arifat & Co.

Léon Maurel

J.. A. M. du Peloux de St. Romain and R. de

Rochecouste.

H. A. Leclézio and others

Hon. H. Leclézlo, C.M.G.

Security.

Amount of Loan.

£

Mon Desert Estates

La Rosalie

Riche Bois

***

8. d.

5,379 5 11

3,680 15 4

La Baraque et Savinia

Deux Bras

1,924 4 6

916 0 2

1,200 0 0

4,210 18 10

Riche en Eau

Rich Fand

1,291 17 7

3,217 2 1

1,438 14 0

La Baraque and Savinia

Belle Vue and L'Amitié

Deux Bras

Bonne Veine...

719 18 11

1,015 11 11

D

***

N. Harel

Savannah Sugar Estates Co.

Directors of The Beau Plan Sugar Estates Co.

♣♣.

***

Alma and Bar le Duc

Belle Vue (Mauricia)

Savannah'

***

8,703 1 4

1,019 10 6

Beau Plan

...

Antoinette

Belle Vue and L'Amitié

6,445 3 6

Fontenelle

***

1,982 15 5

1,883 11

2,607 0 5

84

4,933 4 0

G. Martin and A. Boulé ...

Léon Maurel

---

H. G. Ducray for Cie. Sucrière de Fontenelle

H. G. Ducray for owners of Côte d'Or

Union Sugar Estates Co....

R. de Chazal and others...

L. D. Martin

F. Rouillard

Wiehe and Souchon

www

C. Thomas and Widow Lachambre

C. F. Shand for Widow and heirs, Telfair

A. Tourette for Beau Séjour Sugar Estate Co...

L. Maurel for A. Hugnin

Côte d'Or

Union (Savanne)

St. Antoine

Industrie

Mon Loisir (Rouillard)

4,025 16 0

1,531 1 9

999 4 9

800 0 0

2,020 0 0

Labourdonnais and Forbach

7,666 13 4

***

St. Hubert

5,299 10 8

***

Bon Air (Telfair)

Beau Séjour

***

1,555 6 9

...

...

***

736 17 31

Plaisance

2,032 9 3

8,916 9 1

Union (Maurel)

2.165 3 8

Constance and La Gaieté

Bel Etang & Sans Souci

Schoenfeld

***

5,990 0 6

3,857 8 0

***

4,484 12 5

Helvetia

*

3,069 0 0

A. Tourette for Beau Séjour Sugar Estate Co.

Emile Maurel

Constance and La Gaieté Sugar Estate Co.

A. F Montocchio for Cie. Sucrière de Bel

Etang & Sans Suci.

E. de Rosnay for A. Cayeux & Co. 1.0

J. Regnard for Cie. Sucrière de Mon Desert ...

Bean Séjour

***

19284

2 X 2

To whom Consented,

260

Becurity.:

Amount of Loan.

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