14. 



T H E C UB A REV I E W 



pation; licenses for establishments; building and other permits; and taxes on automobiles 

 and other vehicles. There are also taxes on amusements and other minor sources 

 of income. In some cases revenues are derived from municipal water service, rental 

 of municipal properties, concessions of various kinds, etc. 



The total revenues from all sources of the municipalities at present may be esti- 

 mated at about $15,000,000, not including about $1,800,000 collected by them and 

 turned over to the provincial governments, which obtain their revenues almost entirely 

 from a fixed proportion of the taxes levied by the municipalities. 



— The Economic Bulletin of Cuba. 



Cuban Collections 



An American lawyer in Cuba submits 

 some pertinent advice with regard to collec- 

 tions in Cuba. While the counsel is con- 

 densed into a few lines, experience has 

 shown that it is very much to the point : 



"With regard to the best method of 

 dealing with Cuban creditors, I would state 

 at the outset that court proceedings are 

 not at all to be recommended. To say 

 nothing of the congested condition of the 

 calendars, the delays that can be invoked 

 and obtained by the debtor are vexatious to 

 one accustomed to the procedure in the 

 United States. Furthermore, legal actions 

 are costly and the proof required is very 

 strict. 



"Also, every attorney here must tile with 

 his complaint a duly certified notarial copy 

 of a power of attorney drawn in the 

 Cuban form, showing his authority to act 

 for his client. Many actions are nolle 

 pressed for defective powers of attorney 

 and these have to be done all over again. 



"My advice would be in all cases to 

 compromise, if possible, and indeed to make 

 some sacrifices rather than bring an action 

 in the Cuban courts. It is very desirable 

 to show a wish to assist the debtor rather 

 than to push him — this in view of the pres- 

 ent economic condition of the country and 

 because business has been much restricted 

 during the past two years." 



Decrease in Cuban Immigration 



Official statistics for Cuban immigration, 

 recently made public by the Cuban Gov- 

 ernment, show a decided decrease in the 

 arrival of immigrants during the 12 

 months ended June 30, 1922, in comparison 



with arrivals during the preceding fiscal 

 year. During 1921-22 only 20,184 immi- 

 grants were landed in Cuba, whereas in 

 1920-21 the total reached 148,361. Span- 

 iards comprise about 50 per cent of the 

 immigrants and in 1920-21 numbered 73,- 

 543. In 1921-22, however, only 11,664 

 entered the country from Spain. 



Haitians and Jamaicans have been ex- 

 tensively employed for plantation work in 

 Cuba, and in 1920-21, 30,472 of the for- 

 mer landed in Cuban ports; in 1921-22 Hai- 

 tian immigrants totaled 388. The statistics 

 also show that during these same two years 

 immigration of Jamaicans dropped from 

 27,713 to 3,397; Chinese, from 8,787 to 

 51; and British, from 1,274 to 467. Emi- 

 gration from the United States to Cuba 

 fell from 1,143 in the fiscal year 1920-21 

 to a total of 823 in 1921-22. Arrivals 

 from South America fell from 659 to 145. 



Immigration decreased from all other 

 countries, excepting Armenia, Austria, 

 Belgium, Canada, Czecho-slovakia, Japan, 

 Lithuania, Palestine, Persia, Poland, Ru- 

 mania, Russia, and Ukrania, from which 

 arrivals increased slightly, but in unim- 

 portant totals. 



A government policy of immigration re- 

 striction and the economic depression in 

 Cuba, beginning with the sugar "crash" 

 and culminating in the numerous bank 

 failures, seem to be two of the main rea- 

 sons for this curtailment of an important 

 source of supply of plantation labor. From 

 several districts of the island labor short- 

 ages have been reported, and it seems only 

 logical that unless prompt steps are taken 

 to remedy this unsatisfactory situation 

 conditions will become more serious as 

 the season progresses and additional cen- 

 trals inaugurate operations. 



