§ Sir W. Smilesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied with the present position of agriculture in Trinidad; to what extent crops are being left in the ground unreaped owing to shortage of labour; and whether it is possible to transfer surplus labour from Barbados?
§ Colonel StanleyNeither I nor the Colonial Government consider the present position of agriculture in Trinidad satisfactory, and a strong committee under the chairmanship of the Agricultural Adviser to the Comptroller for Development and Welfare was appointed some time ago by the Government to make recommendations for future agricultural policy. This Committee has recently reported and the Colonial Government is now studying its proposals with a view to the reorganisation of the Colony's agricultural system. In reply to the second part of the Question, statistics are not available over the whole field of agriculture showing what proportion of the crops has been left unreaped owing to the shortage of labour. In the main the sugar industry has been the most hard hit from this cause, but in any case such statistics would not show the full extent of agricultural losses, as shortage of labour has hindered new plantings and in particular the extension of food cultivation. Owing to shipping difficulties in the Caribbean it does not at present seem possible to transfer any considerable number of labourers from Barbados to Trinidad even if suitable housing and essential amenities could be ensured for them. The Governor of Trinidad has, however, recently discussed the whole labour question with the Sugar Manufacturers' Association, and I understand that the Association are considering whether they can put forward to Government a practical scheme for the introduction of agricultural labour in the Colony.