, 1880-06-26

your attention is that, although the mini
mum rated value at which Is cd in the
pound is paid has since been reduced to
95, and that, therefore, a great many
which were previously paying the IS fixed
rate have passed into the class above, and
have increased that first class 10 number,
yet a comparison of the returns of 1868
SO and 1676-77 shows a very large in
crease in the number of second class houses
and a diminution of the third and Iourth
classes. The total number of houses
paying the specific tax increased from
Al, 10S to 5l,010, while that OF the two
lowest classes was reduced from 1854 to
1888. Now after making every allow.
ance for the possibility that this large
increase In number may be partly attribu-
table to improved collection Of the tax,
and that in many cases the tnx Ia paid
rather on the land than on the house. sill
| think it can scarcely be doubted thEt
more of the population are becoming bet.
ter housed than they We're ten years ago /;
and there are not wanting Indications of an
ambition to improve their condition in this
respect, which only ueed to be f6stered
to produce beneficial results. The subject
has recently excited some attention in
jamaica" as
Further on the Governor saws d
81 should not omit to mention that the
negro population are themselves %cultiva-
tors OF the cane and producers ofraw sugar
to no small extent, although the processes
winch they employ are as yet crude and
WaStetul, and the produce is, so far as [
know, entirely consumed among the lower
classes. 1t will surprise a great many, [
think, to learn that there are nearly 5000
small sugar mills (the number in a return
some SIX years ago was stated to be 5.615)
III different parts of the island crushing the
produce of small holdings, varying in size
from a few acres to the fraction of an acre.
Inc tO'al result | have no means of ascer-
tanning but it cannot be insignificant and
IL Would seem as if there were the mateSial
mere for the future establishment in the
more favourable localities by private enter
PRISE OF central factories for refining, OF at
least improving the quality of the produce
of this industry"
III could produce other facts which I think
go to show a much improved condition of
things respecting the negro peasantry, and
some Will perhaps present themselves i'll
the course of my further remarks. I have
said enough, l hope, to indicate that it is
a great mistake to suppose of them in mass
that they are quite so bad as they are
sometimes painted, or that they are by any
means much dependent upon the con-
tinuance OF cultivation on the large sugar
estates for their support or well being.
But l am quite aware that a great
many persons, when they think or speak
of Jamaica, and compare it's past and pre-
sent condition, have no reference in their
minds to the condition or progress of the
mass of the resident population /; they
mean to contrast the amount of export of
sugar and rum in present times with the
quantity exported in days gone by. /
think we must admit that the c~ircnmstan-
ces of the Colony have wholly changed
since the days of slavery = and for many
reasons we may be thankful that they have
so, though the emancipation apparentlyhad
a great effect Upon ~the,export of the chief
staple. For some time after the cessation
of slavery the industrial history of the
whole community was one of transition,
through successive temporary phases of
social life. / think it must necessarily
lave been so. 1t may be easy to be wise
after the event; but it seems to me now
that it ought always to have been easy to
predict the difficulties which would occur
in respect of labour when the policy of the
landed proprietorS or their representatives
in that day was to drive the emancipated
labourers away from their properties on
which they had preyionsIyYdwelt In all
places the Importance is recognised of