300 
PROCEEDINGS OP THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
This state of affairs it appears is not so disastrous in the 
Napariina district but yet it is to be supposed that there will be 
some day short-comings there as well, necessitating a reduction 
in acreage, and probably causing the closing of some factories, 
which had been originally started to cope with a certain output, 
and which will not be able to attain this on account of the 
deficiency of labour, or through tenant farmers not coming 
forward to work and plant up the land. The labour question is 
now as it will ever be our most difficult problem to solve, but it is 
to be hoped that eventually the Home Government will see its 
way to give relief to the Sugar Planters, to whom the. Colony is 
indebted yearfy for over half a million sterling put into cir- 
culation by them. Prom the foregoing it must not be gathered 
that if the sugar industry fails entirely that the Colony of 
lnnidad will be ruined, as we have here many great factors 
which even should the sugar industry be entirely blotted out, 
vrll gradually help it to become the most magnificent of all the 
est Indian Colonies, a position which it is already on a fair 
way to attain. At not too distant a date we shall see that the 
prosperity of Trinidad lies in the multiplicity of properties by 
f < L 1 . enation of Crown lands or otherwise and the greater part 
of Trinidad’s agricultural resources shall in time to be due to 
the divisibility of landed property into two main classes, those 
a ieady in possession, and peasant proprietors. 
The peasants or creole labourers who are willing to work 
will eventually form a body of small proprietors who by their 
numbers and the Varied collection of their products, will in a 
tew years have the command of the market. 
hi o matter to what class they belong, these owners of small 
properties must necessarily become producers, who will un- 
doubtedly form a majority and the future wealth of Trinidad 
will then to a great extent lie with them. 
There are many errors which may perhaps retard their suc- 
cess and advancement as a class, such as the forgetfulness ot 
ieir ongin, and instead of making of their sons and daughters, 
good agricultural labourers (whereby they may be able to help 
their advancement) sending them to'follow schools, where incom- 
plete education is given which mostly results in turning out in- 
complete professionals and idlers instead of good agriculturalists 
who can plant and work their own lands. The fault here docs 
" ot,w so much with the labourer, as with those who have the 
management of the education of the Trinidad working 
i 10 1 ,n y "pinion is based on a wrong principle, and tends 
a ' v lin aw ay front his natural calling. In presence of 
