02 



THE AGMCULTUKAL NEWS. 



Febeuaky 22, 1908- 



CANADIAN RECIPROCITY CONFERENCE. 

 The following is an extinct from the address made 

 by the Hon. Sir Daniel iMorris, K.G.M.G., at the 

 opening of the C.inaiUan Conference on January 15 

 last:— 



"iesterduy, at the opening of the Agiicultiinil Cnnfei- 

 euce, you received a welcome from his Kxcellency 

 the Governor on behalf of the colony of Barbados. It 

 remains for uie this morning to meet those who have been 

 appointed to the Canadian Conference, so that I may make 

 a brief statement in regard to the circumstances under which 

 this Conference has been called together ; also to place before 

 you papers and returns that may be useful in the discussion 

 of a subject that all admit presents many difficulties. Among 

 the papers is a reprint of an address delivered at a joint 

 meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, and Agricultural 

 Society of Barbados. That reprint also contains a short 

 siunmary of proceedings at a similar meeting held at 

 I'.ritish Giuana. At both tlm.-e meetings, resolutions were 

 passed recounnending that a Conference comprising i-epre- 

 sentatives from all parts of the West Indies should meet at 

 a central place, and di.scuss the possibilities of closer trade 

 relations with Can.ida. As there was no other central 

 organization exi.^ting in the West Indies to take action in 

 a matter of this character, I regarded it as part of the dut)- 

 of the Imperial iJepartment of Agriculture to conununicate 

 with the several Governments and enquire whether it would 

 lie agreeable to them to send delegates to a Conference at 

 Barbados. This question of closer trade relation with 

 Canada has been slowdy ripening for some time. For several 

 years we have been .sending exhibits of the jiroducts of the 

 A\'est Indies to Canada and these have been shown 

 at Toronto and Halifax. In 1906 I was able to address 

 meetings of Imsiness men in different parts of Canada, 

 and on my suggestion, tlu' various Boards of Ti-ade sent 

 Delegates to visit the \N'est Indies and prepare a Report 

 which is now befoie you. The Government i>f Canada has 

 also in I itlu'r ways taken steps to facilitate closer relations 

 with the West Indies. The Boards of Trade have appointed 

 West India (,'omnuttees, with a Chairman and a Secretary to 

 undertake corresi)onden<-e with liusiness men in the West 

 Indies, and atfoi'd them a.ssistance in regard to trade matters. 

 In addition, the Donnnion Government has appointed a general 

 Trade Commissioner with headquarters at Barbados, who will 

 travel through the West Indies and give information in regard 

 to trade with Canada. The Trade ( 'onnnissionci-, I nnderst'pod, 

 will not necessarily take the place rif any of the Canadian 

 agents already existing. 



The in. mediate cause \\\i\r\\ hasled to the calling nt ihi- 

 Conference is the tact llial loi- -,.me years we haxc hail 

 ;i favourable niaiket in Canada foroursngar. The rrtuins 

 which arc before you give paiticular.s of the ipiantitics of 

 su"ar, molasses, and syrup that have been imported into 

 Canada diu-ing the last six years. These are taken ivnn 

 Canadian returns. They do not tally with the return> 

 obtainable in tlie West Indies. 'I'hat, as will brrxplained to 

 you later, is due to the fact that, owing to the manner in which 

 the statistics in the West Indies are kejit, it is not possible 

 to .show what goods come frfun Canada by way of the I'nitcd 

 States, nor, on the other hand, to sliow- the idtiniate destination 

 of goods sliipjied to Xew ^dlk. 'I'hc returns will be usef\d as 

 .-hi'iwing the large anil ■unl of trade that has sprung ui> in 

 s-ucar between the West Indies and Canada. I'ractically 

 Til per cent, of all the sugar i nnsumed in Canada has bee\i 

 obtained directly from the W, -i indies. I was a.ssured. 

 how'evei'. by busine.-.s men as w-lla.- by others, that there 

 were varinus circumstances likclv tn interfere with the con- 



tinuance of a favourable market for tlie West Indian sugars 

 in Canada. That is the reason why this Conference lias 

 been called more quickly than it otherwise would have 

 been. If action be not taken at once, there is a possibility of 

 the West Indies losing^their favourable iiosition in the Cana- 

 dian market. I have been informed on undoubted authority 

 that such is the ca.«e ; and the gentlemeu from Canada 

 .itteniliiig this Conference will confirm this. A prominent 

 pei>on in the Fiiited Kingdom lias expressed the opinion 

 that it wiiiild be a calamity if the West Indies lost their 

 present market for sugar in Canada. These have been the 

 main considerations in liringing about this Conference. 



There i.s an inqiression that if the West Indies enter 

 intip closer trade relations with Canada, and give the Dominion 

 advantages in this market, we shall antagonize the United 

 States. I hope yai will fully satisfy yourselves on this 

 point. If you assume that the Fnited States are going to- 

 penalize you becans; you enter into closer trade relations 

 with Canada, you will raise a ' bogey ' likely to neutralize any 

 good results that may be obtained from this Conference. 



In spite of the progress made with seedling canes, and 

 the establishment of central factories, and wdth new industrie.s, 

 such as cotton and rice and the development of the lime 

 industry", if we ;ire suddenly confronted with the failure of 

 the sugar industry, wdiich is of the value of £2,700,000 

 a year, I am afraid the West Indies will receive such a set 

 back, as will neutralize much of the wmk that has been done 

 during the last ten years. Tliat is tlie po.sition as it now 

 siand.s, and I leave it Avith confidence in your hands. 



COFFEE IN HAWAII. 



Owing to the oxtraorilinary production of cofiee 

 in ISrazil of late \e.irs, growers in other countries are 

 being gradually pushed out of the market, unless 

 tiieir ]u-oduce shows qualities of special value as in the 

 case of J.-imaiea Blue Slountain coffee, wdiich readily 

 coinniands high ])iii,es mi the London market. This 

 difiicnlty of finding a sale for the lower qualities of 

 coffee, .and the necessity of turning to other articles of 

 cultivation, are refeired to in the course of the Report 

 (if III'' Hamuluii Aiiriciill.am( Expc rime tit Slalion, 

 ii)0(), although it is stated that the best qualities 

 jirodueed in the Hawniian Islands are in gre.it demand. 

 'I'll ijui'te tn.ini the report : — 



The cnffee industry is laie especially adapted to the 

 dexelopinent of a stable pnpulation of small landowners. 

 The coffee belt lies at an elevation of from 1,000 to 3,000 

 feet, the most salubrious location in the islands, a region of 

 comfortalde temperatures all llie year round. Cotl'ee doe.s 

 not require a large outlay of capital in its cultivation, and it 

 is a crop which can be pre])ared for market without ex])ensive 

 machinery. A\'lien once prejiared, it does not deteriorate ; 

 but, on the contrary, constantly improves with age, so that 

 the producer is nut subject to the giear lo.s.scs wliicli 

 frequently hap|ieii to tho.se engaged in the produelinn of 

 perishable crops. The trees are remarkably free from 

 disease, the yields are high, and returns sure. 



'I he chief cause of failure as regards coffee growing in 

 Hawaii is due to economic conditions. The be.st grades of 

 Hawaiian cott'ees have always been in demand, and these 

 glades sidl themselves. The low grades, however, can not be 

 produced in conqietition with B>razil and similar countries 

 and practically every small iiroducer engaged in cottce growing 

 in Hawaii has lieeii fnrced out of business. 



