Vot. XVI. So. 394. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS 



167 



amounted to 3,383 bales, as compared with 6,686 bales 

 for the same period of last year, and 229 bales for 1915. 



The Association have recently received a shipment of 

 over .500 tons of seed I rom Lagos, but it has been necessary 

 to destroy practically the whole of the remaining stocks of 

 last year's seed, and it was pointed out that about 5,000 tons 

 of seed had to be destroyed owing to the lack of freight. 

 The seeJ is worth £13 to £14 per ton in Liverpool, and the 

 opinion was expressed that it was a great pity that such 

 a valuable food product should have to be wasted. 



KiNANCK. Attention was called to the large business 

 now being conducted by the Association. The total value of 

 the balance still unsold of the 191(5 cotton crop from West 

 Africa, Uganda, Xyasaland, and the West Indies, at present 

 in Liverpool or on the water amounts to £212,000, and in 

 addition to this the Association have purchased cotton of 

 the 1917 crop in Uganda, West Africa and the Sudan, 

 valued at £743,000, giving a total value of ctton in Liver- 

 pool, in transit or in Africa, of £9.")5,000. 



It was pointed out that the Association would have to 

 pay War Risks Insurance at the rate of 5 guineas per cent, 

 on about £750,000, and the increased rate of premium from 

 1 guinea to 5 guineas per cent, during the past few riionths 

 means an increased cost to the Association of over £.30,000. 



AGRICULTURAL CREDIP IN TRINIDAD 



AND DEMERARA. 



Kccenr. issues of the Port-pf- Spain Gazette have 

 contained interesting reports concerning the present 

 position in regard to .agricnltnral credit in Trinidad 

 and Demerara. 



A Special General Meeting of the Diego Martin Agri- 

 cultural Credit Society in Trinidad was held at the (iovern- 

 ment School house on Sunday, May G, 1916. Among 

 a very large gathering were Messrs. E. B. .J ago. Chairman; 

 .1. R. P.landin and Theodore Bernard, Trustees; E. C. Clarke, 

 F. A. Taylor, Fenton -Jeremiah, Superville, Pollard, Salandy, 

 Juman, Cuthbert, Mercer and others, -with Mr. E. H. Matthew, 

 Secretary. The reading of the minutes of the last meeting 

 was postponed — the books being in the bands of the Auditors. 

 The Chairman said his first duty was to welcome the now 

 members. As they were aware, the society had applied to 

 the Kegistrar for leave to increase their membirship by 

 twenty-five, which application was granted, but he regretted 

 to say that the work of selection was very ditticult. They 

 had received seventy-seven applications —all from most 

 deserving people hence it was lough work to reject fifty-two. 

 He wanted, however, to assure the rejected that there was 

 no reflection on their honour, and later on he hoped to be 

 ab e to admit them. ' 



liRcjU.M) l'KOVISl<jNS. 



The Chairman said he had seen the Director of 

 Agriculture about the lands being offered on the River estate 

 for the growing of ground provisions. The Director was 

 unable to offer the land at a lower rental, but was willing to 

 accept half only in advance amd the other half at the end of 



the first year. If renters objected to planting limes, he 

 was willing to cancel that stipulation. 



The Secretary said he regretted that nobody would 

 touch those lands. He had visited the lands along with some 

 members and they were unanimous that those lands were the 

 worst on the estate — entirely unsuitable for growing ground 

 provisions. The land offered was worked two or three years 

 ago and was now a piece of 'lastrajo', and beyond a crop of 

 corn in the first year, they could get nothing else there. They 

 were not .scientists, but they thought the land required rest. 

 They were in a difficult position— they had asked the 

 Government for lands, and having got it, they would not 

 touch it. They should not remain passive, but should tell the 

 Government why they did not accept the land, otherwise, 

 they would be branded as lazy good-for-nothings. He moved 

 that a letter be sent to the Director pointing out the 

 unsuitability of the land offered and that lands at 'Canal' 

 and 'Cameron Hill' are better suited for ground provisions. 

 In seconding this motion .VIr. Cuthbert said he under- 

 stood that the Manager of the estates had himself 

 selected 'Canal' for his own garden. If 'Cascade' 

 was so good, why does he not make his garden 

 there.' He hoped that nobody had misled the Governor 

 about the grant of this Cascade lands. He desired to e.xpress 

 the society's most grateful thanks to His Excellency the 

 Governor for the very prompt manner he had dealt with 

 their application for this land, and lioped if possible His 

 Excellency would be pleased to offer at a pepper-corn rental 

 lands at 'Cameron Hill' or 'Canal'. 



After going through other business, the meeting 

 terminated. 



M-.RIcl-ULTimr, CKEDIT IX liEMERVEA. 



.Judging from the first report of the Loan Binks Com- 

 mittee on the working of Co-operative Credit Banks in 

 Demerara, the movement is making successful progress in 

 the neighbouring colony. Three banks started work shortly 

 after registration, and at the close of the year 1915 their 

 subscribed capital stood at §6 11 '23. During the year 19 6 

 fifteen additional banks were registered, bringing the number 

 at work at December 31, 1916, to eighteen. At registration 

 the subscribed capital of the eighteen banks stood at 

 •$2,500'71, and at the close of 1916 the paid-up c-tpital had 

 increased to$7,133'94. These figures indicate an increase 

 in capital between the dates of registration and Decem- 

 ber 31, 1916, of •■?4,633'23. During the year thirteen 

 banks applied and obtained loan.s amounting to $4,883. 

 Government loans are repayable in twenty five equal annual 

 instalments with interest at the rate of 5 per cent. Due 

 provision has been made by all borrowing banks for the 

 repayment of capital and interest due to the (iovernment. 

 Most of the loans borrowed by shareholders have been used 

 for working up cane, rice and provision crops. The period 

 of loans ranges from three to eleven nifinths. The borrowers 

 have been, on the whole, punctual in repaying their loans. Of 

 2,238 shareholders at December 31, 1916, 1,656 are of 

 the black race and 460 , ire Kast Indians. These figures go 

 to show that members of the black race are giving most 

 encouraging support to the banks established in the ditterent 

 village centres. The Banks' Committee can safely report 

 that an encouraging start has been made, and that the 

 year's work has done much to familiarize the masses of the 

 colony with the aims, objects and utility of Co-operative 

 Credit Institutions. 



