371 
introduced every year should be reduced to the minimum that 
will suffice for the working of the existing estates, and that State 
assistance in aid of immigration should ultimately cease. 
303. The system under which a large number of immigrants 
are allowed to settle in the West Indies retaining a claim to a 
return passage, and without i provision being made before- 
^w ques : 
hand to meet the burden, if i uld arise, 8 0 
If the sugar cultivation ceases it will be impossible to levy the 
cost from the estates, and S , wher migration has 
now ceased, the planters complain that they, in their present 
distressed condition, are paying for benefits which were received 
by a former gener ration. 
304. On the whole, we are of opinion that, notwithstanding 
the critical state of the sugar indusiry, the resources of Trinidad 
will probably suffice to meet the claims against her if they are 
carefully husbanded, and if no delay takes place in the adoption 
of measures for enforcing greater economy in public expenditure. 
iv.—TOBAGO. 
305. We received in Trinidad verbal evidence as to the 
condition of Tobago (which is under the same Government) from 
poh witnesses specially qualified to speak on the subject. We 
ached Scarborough, the chief town of the island, on the after- 
is on of Friday the 5th of March, and during the next morning 
we took evidence from 13 local witnesses at the Court House, 
whilst Dr. Morris inspected as much of the island as could be 
visited in the day. One of Ue Commissioners devoted part of 
the day to the same object. 
308. The chief industry was ihe potaa of sugar, but it has 
been a decaying rem for many years, and at the present time 
it appears to be on the verge of extinction. The only cane now 
grown on the island is ilt vated by small farmers on the metayer 
system, and the cane is ground at some of the old, and old- 
fashioned, mills which still exist. The farmers who grow the 
ing by i 
9. When the general depression of the sugar industry took 
effect in 1885 there was a collapse of that industry in Tobago, the 
and they now export cocoa, cocoanuts, peas, co , potatoes, 
plantains, poultry, eggs, cocoa-nut oil, cattle, goats, horses, pige, 
and sheep. Their proximity to Trinidad enables them 
market for many of the — which we have just Anaea rae 
310. These articles, however, by no means compensate for the 
E ER migrate permanently, or temporarily, to Trinidad in 
search of work. The rates of w wages are not so low as in such 
an island às ‘St. Vincent, m there is very little employment to be 
ages appears to be maintained owing 
x the island lying nye r3 Trinidad is there is a demand for 
31]. - Complaints are made that even when work is obtained 
Wages are not regularly paid, and that the ubdüntes often have to 
accept payments in goods and do not receive cas 
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