330 



In Montserrat the staple is very largely cultivated both on 

 estates and by peasants; the crop now constitutes the principal 

 product of the island, and its introduction has resulted in the 

 re-establishment of a considerable measure of prosperity. 



In the Virgin Islands the industry is conducted purely as a 

 peasant industry, and cotton is widely grown on numerous 

 scattered small holdings on the collection of small islands of 

 which the Presidency is composed. The crop is purchased and 

 exported by the Government through the medium of the 

 Agricultural Department. Its introduction has resulted in the 

 establishment of a greatly increased measure of prosperity 

 among the peasant proprietary of the locality. 



The industry may be looked on as firmly established in the 

 Colony; the period of its development is brief, but in that time 

 it has effected a very pronounced improvement in the economic 

 conditions, and now ranks second in importance in the indus- 

 tries of the Colony. The present position must be attributed 

 in no small measure to the unremitting efforts which have been 

 made to foster development. The future of the industry 

 depends on the continuation of favourable market conditions 

 and on the absence of any wholesale destructive agency which 

 does not permit of ready control. 



The history of the development of the industry is of interest 

 and serves to indicate the steps best calculated to promote the 

 development of other agricultural industries under similar 

 conditions. 



[DISCUSSION.] 



Mr. C. M. WOLSTENHOLME : I should like to ask Mr. Tempany 

 why the profit-sharing scheme is not more extended in the 

 Leeward Islands. The profit-sharing policy adopted by Mr. 

 Sands and also in the Virgin Islands is much more suitable 

 for commercial purposes. At present all the peasant cotton 

 from Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, and some of the other Lee- 

 ward Islands is shipped in one-bale lots which are uncom- 

 mercial, and they will never get a good price for their cotton 

 until they work on the profit-sharing system. I should like 

 to ask him why it is not adopted to a greater extent. 



Mr. TEMPANY : With regard to the question which has been 

 raised by Mr. Wolstenholme, I would say that in the Virgin 

 Islands, as in St. Vincent, the ginneries are under the control 

 of the Government. The whole of the cotton is purchased 

 there, consequently the size of the shipments can be absolutely 

 regulated. In the other islands the ginneries are privately 

 owned. In some cases cotton is purchased and shipped in lots 

 by the owners of the ginneries. In other cases the peasants 

 insist on the shipment of their cotton, which usually comes 



