68 
extended over nearly every part of the island. oe substitution 
of cacao for cane in Grenada has rendered the island entirely 
independent of sugar. This is the only West Taint colony o 
importance where this is actually the case. While there are 
feature of Grenada that the labouring classes A e considerable 
number of small holdings. There are 5,600 holdings under 
5 acres, covering a total area of 8, = acres 3 843 eras from 
5 to 20 acres, Pe ng a total area of 7,231 acres; and 205 
hollings treet 20 to 100 acres, covering a total area of 8,830 
acres. nce, the numbers of persons owning properties con- 
taining wan than 100 acres is 6,648, or about 11 per cent. of the 
total population of the Colony. 
204. Latterly the price of cacao, as indeed of almost every 
tropical produce, has greatly declined, This has caused some 
S 
ced, bu nce pec 
These are uia ya the EEA ‘of Grae as follow 
205. “ Anyone who has watched carefully the progress of events 
“ during the last quarter of a century, cannot have failed to see 
“ what eat difference there n t peasant 
“ proprietors S m r plantation labourers of 
“ former times. ere is, however, an obverse side, 
“ which is patent. to the praevia . Unaccustomed to 
“ appreciate values, they have spent money in building houses 
“ too large and expensive in their desire + improve their ho omes, 
“and they have not practised the economy necessary at the 
“start of new fortunes and in the case of limited incomes. 
a real value of money, u to estimat 
“accurately the spending power of their properties, by the 
“ advancers of money on produce, who, in order t h them- 
(43 -n 
‘ p č 
5 instances, to run up to very large sums. system has been 
‘ruinous to peasant proprietors, resulting either in the loss of 
“their properties or in a condition of present want, enforced 
“by the necessity of extricating — anben from debt and of 
“ endeavouring to save their holding 
06. The statements above given are supported by the fact 
that in niau last the attention of the Royal Commission was 
drawn to the large number of properties advertised for sale i 
el island under levy for unpaid taxes pei 1895-96. These 
uled i 
unted to upwards o 
Guacetta of te February 1897. As hase in thi memorandum 
furnishe ed by the Acting Colonial Secretary, taxes were eventually 
paid on 145 properties; in 29 cases the properties were sold and 
page os eet Nee REPETA parted 
peta ear oa | Osis = oa a ath i: 
