246 



THE AGUICULTUKAL NEWS. 



August 3, 1912. 



THE SELLING OP BRITISH WEST 

 INDIAN COTTON. 



The Commissioner of Agriculture has received an 

 official letter from Mr. .J. A. Hutton, Chairman of the British 

 Ootton Growing Association, dealing with cotton-growing 

 generally in the West Indies, with the request that the col- 

 tents shall be made as public as possible, in an effort to 

 remove some of the misunderstanding that appears to exist 

 as to the objects and policy of the Association. It com- 

 mences by making reference to complaints that have been 

 received by the Association, from planters in the West Indies, 

 as to delays and difficulties that have taken place in the 

 selling of their ootton; it states also that Mr. J. W McConnel 

 Lad reported dissatisfaction in the matter, saying that there 

 seems to be a suspicion that the Association is neglecting 

 the interests of the planters and giving chief attention to 

 those of the spinners. 



Mr. Hutton states very strongly that, although there 

 may be some grounds for complaint, there is not the least 

 foundation for the suspicion. He refers to the great diffi- 

 culties that exist in the Association's work of cotton-buying, 

 and states: 'It is quite impossible for anyone except those 

 in daily contact with the work to realize the amount of time 

 and labour which Mr. Wolstenholme hos devoted to this 

 work. I can assure you he has most generously' and ungrudg- 

 ingly given up time which should have been devoted to his 

 own business, and I have not the least hesitation in sayin" 

 that his firm have suffered considerably from what he has 

 done for West Indian planters and for the Association." 



Mr. Hutton goes on to refer to the work of the Associa- 

 tion, and its duty to help the planters, in view of the 

 conviction that the future of fine spinning in Lancashire will 

 be made more difficult if cotton-growing fails in the West 

 Indies. The circumstances make it essential that the 

 Association should practically ensure that the cotton is 

 sold to the very best advantage. It has been felt, 

 however, that something moie than mere assurances on 

 the part of the Association would be required by planters, 

 so that a Special Committee was appointed, consisting of 

 the Executive Committee of the British Cotton Growing 

 Association, together with Messrs. Lawrence, Marsland, 

 Oliver and Wolstenholme, to consider the whole question. 

 This committee has now discussed the matter most fully, 

 and further Mr. Hutton himself and Mr. Wolstenholme 

 have consulted at length with Mr. Dixon and Mr. McConnel 

 of the Fine Spinners' Association, so that the .subject has 

 received the largest consideration. 



It is recognized fully by the users of cotton that the 

 interests of the spinners and planters are identical, for the 

 -former have need of the cottoL and are willing to pay a price 



for it (as far as the laws of supply and demand will allow) 

 which will induce the planter to continue and extend cultiva- 

 tion. This aspect of the matter receives additional impor- 

 tance in view of the probable eventual destruction of tha 

 L''nited States Sea Island cotton industry through the spread 

 of the boll weevil. 



!Mr. Hutton gives attention to suggestions that have 

 been made to curtail the cotton area in the West Indies 

 because of the present lowering of the demand through 

 a change in fashion, and because of competition by Sakellarides 

 cotton. This matter has been most fully gone into, and the 

 Association is convinced that the special excellence of quality 

 of most West Indian cotton makes it certain that every 

 pound of the first class quality will be absorbed by the mar- 

 ket. 'We are convinced afcer the fullest consideration that 

 it would be the greatest mistake in the world for the planters 

 to reduce their acreage at the present moment.' There is 

 now the closest and heartiest co-'iperation between the Asso- 

 ciation (as representing the planters) and the larger users, 

 who realize: 'that they must help the planters as far aa 

 possible.' Mr. Hutton suggests, however, very definitely 

 that the planter, in forwarding his cotton should assist in 

 this CO operation by advising the Association whether ha 

 prefers a quick sale even at slightly reduced prices, or tha 

 holding of the cotton, at the discretion of the Association, 

 for higher prices. 



The co-operation of cotton planters in the West Indies 

 is a.sked for emphatically by Mr. Hutton, and he requests 

 that one feature of this should consist in advising the 

 Association, as early in each season as possible, as to the 

 probable size of the crop — not only as to the quantity likely to 

 be produced in the whole of the West Indies, but as to the 

 amount to be grown in each island, and even further, the 

 probable production of each of the larger estates. This 

 information would put the Association in a much better 

 position to place the whole of the crop to the best advantage. 



ilr Hutton concludes by asking that any cotton planter 

 who is dissatisfied with what the British Cotton Growing Associ- 

 ation has done, or may do, or who has any grievance whatever, 

 will communicate directly with the .Association, when ha 

 may be assured that everything will be done to assist him. 

 At the same time, considering the existence of unreasonable 

 complaints, any planter who is dissatisfied, when the Associ- 

 ation has done what is possible fur him, is asked to tran.sfer 

 his business to those whom he thinks may serve him better. 



In commenting on this letter, it may be said that the 

 question appears to have arisen in a large degree through 

 the number of complaints that were made to Mr. McConnel 

 by cotton planters during his recent visit to the West Indies 

 as a delegate of the Association to the recent Agriculttiral 

 Conference, It is only natural that, when they havft 



