388 TiMEHRl. 



The paper read at the previous meeting on the " Cost 

 of sugar produ6lion in British Guiana" having been 

 declared open for discussion : — 



Mr. Thorpe said, as a West Coast Manager, he thought 

 it impossible to make sugar at the price mentioned — at 

 least during the last four years. 



The President in reply, stated that the figures he had 

 given applied generally, not to any particular distri6l or 

 season. He was willing to admit that during the last 

 few years it was impossible — he did not know any 

 estate that had done it. 



The Hon. B. Howell Jones said that from his expe- 

 rience he had come to the conclusion that prepared 

 estimates were misleading. It was almost impossible 

 to say in January what the crop would be by December, 

 or what the expenses would amount to. In heavy rainy 

 seasons the cost would be above the average — the 

 expense of coal for the draining engine being consider- 

 ably more. Some of the expenses were to a certain 

 extent under control — others, such as those dependent 

 on the seasons were not. Looking over his note book 

 he found that some years ago one estate made sugar at a 

 cost of $6 1 a ton and another at $103. The position of 

 estates had a great deal to do with this. Where, as in 

 Berbice, large areas of rich land could betaken into culti- 

 vation, the returns were much better than in other places 

 with a limited area. He did not agree with Mr. Luard 

 in his statement that managers did not know the things 

 mentioned in the President's paper. He knew that on 

 the contrary they compared notes with each other 

 to try and lessen the cost of production. He thought 

 the paper very valuable and he had no doubt it 



