, 1890-08-30

means the hardShips eAtailed upon retail
spirit dealers by the system established in
1869, under which the rum duty was made
leviahle In the form of litence duty. The
practical impOssibility of obtaining under
that system equality of incidence renders
it exceedingly obnoxious and unjust to the
retail spirit dealers. 1t would have been
replaced long ere this by a measure ana
lOgouS to, if not identical with, the present,
but for the apprehension of sugar planters
that their manufacturing operations would
be injuriOuSly interfered with by an eff.
cent excise supervision over their diStil-
lerieS. Their latest manifestation of dis.
content with Nj. Turner's proposals occurr-
ed at the last Session of the Combined
Court, when they unanimously refused to
impose q tax of 500 each on stills used in
the diStillery of rum, although they incon-
s~istently consented to increase the duty OH
rum by 10 cents per gallon. 1t may be
hoped that when they come to consider the
provisions of what we prefer to call 'the
new 1istiIleries bilP' they will manifest u
more conciliatory spirit.
There was q meeting of the Banana Com
mission this week, at which the opinion
was openly expressed that the attempt to
develop the industry in this colony had
better be abandoned. Better council pre-
vailed, and the Commission decided to post
pone the drafting of its report until the
arrival of Captain Baker, of the Boston Fruit
Co.. who is expected to arrive here soon.
guarantee that 1880 acres will be planted
in bananas, towards the experiment, is re-
cejved but this is not one half the extent
that must be guaranteed before the Cover
mont will npEoN INTO a aNntranf NTH tbs
Boston Co. Since the close of the meeting,
Captain White, whose interest and belief
in the development of the Banana industry
strengthens with time, has received a letter
from his American. agent, Captain Friese,
who reports having had an interview with
the representa-. Se of the Fruit Co., the gist
of which was that the demand for bananas
il the States was increasing at a rapid
ratio that Jamaica and Honduras could
not continue to supply the demand, and
that the Company were OF the decided opin-
ion that they mast get Demerara ranked
amongst the furnishers. 1t would be q most
.regrettable occurrence if the efforts that have
already been made, and not without success,
to stir up an interest in the Banana trade,
were to be allowed to go for nothing. The
fear which exists in some quarters that the
Banana farms will interfere with the sup
ply of estates labour, does not seem we'll
grounded. Farmers and labourers who are
induced to devote attention to banana
growing, will be able. if disposed, to give a
considerable time to estates; and in this
way, will be in q very different category
from gold diggers. Mr.. Quintin Hogg, one
of the largest proprietors OF agar land in
the colony has expressed his conviction
that the creation of a class Of banana far
mers would be of great moral and material
benefit to TIE state, in which all classes
would participate. 1t is a pity that. the
liberal views he holds on, this important
question Are lot entertained by others in
the sugar trade, upon whose attitude d good
deal of the success Of the Banana.venture mrsi