, 1896-04-18

either 10 give the Sugar Planters more Ell.
~couIagemrntt to 90 on, or for the colony to
prepare to shut down The Governor of
the day ranged himself on the side of Pro-
gress, temporary assistance to the planters
was provided. and ten years later when the
sixties arrived. the sugar cultivation had
nearly douhlrd the figures of 1894 and 1850.
The public revenue WAS now feeling the good
effects of increased immigration with in
creased exports, and the Governors were
encouraged to venture upon sanitary schemes
for the benefit of the people-such as the
regulation OF village settlements, the drainage
OF unhealthy areas, the opening,up Of roads,
the extension of the steamer service. the i'm
provement of eleemosynary institutions, and
SO on. Those who see the colony for the
first time IN these days and find that hey can
travel along the coast from Essequcbo to
C9rentyne OH excellent carriage roads, viii
mud 1t hard to believe that less than % wear,
ago, the settlng-in Of the wet season VAS m,
signal Tor All announcement by the Head OF The
Police, who then Lad charge of the roads. that
the mail Wagon had ceased to run and mails
would be taken on horseback. Occasionally
a belated mail Wagon would get caught in
the mud and sink into a hole in the bubble
highway, there to remain until q day o. two's
dry weather and special assistance could he
obtained to extricate it. We have now. as
we have said, the Coast roads restored to
good condition, but there are miles of roads
which used formerly to connect the river set
Elements with town, still to be re-made; and
of very great Importance noW-roads 10
be made into the interior regions Of the
colony which six or eight years ago were
v,ictfaJ On1- L., a.
the bushman, We have had in these three
or four years past an experience similar to
that of 1850, although perhaps not so intense
IN IT'S distress or so hopeless in its prospects.
but if our agriculture had stood alone az
the coIony's source Of subsistence, the con.
dition OF the two periods would have been
pretty much alike. The crisis however has
been modified by the fact that we have now
a Gold industry as a supplementary aid to
the sugar industry, and a~lthough-as bad
fortune will have 1.-THE Gold industry is for
she moment labouring under a corresnondiny
sinister influence, which will not be removed
until the B )undary question is settled II
still gives employment to a large section Of
the people and keeps money in circulation
The position Of the colony is indeed a crit.
ical one, even in the opinion of those Of e.,
WIZ nav ~ SCIOlS 1dtln III us IecUDerdfI va
powers, and our new Governor, who holds j,
reputation for shrewdness and activity hos
scope enough before him, and opportunity,
to render his administration memorable rs
the time of a new and important departure
in the colony's history. There is much 10
be done, and he will find us all ready 70
make the work easy for him, if he will only
adopt a policy vigorous and COMPREHENSIVE
enough TO command general approval. 1t
is now becoming evident, even to those who
used to scowl at the mere mention of it. that
the interior of the colony offers advantages
far superior to the Coast lands for the set.
Element Of industrious villagers. whose efforts
on the mud fiat are paralysed by the diff.
chlties of drainage, of water supply. of
necessary combination tile neglect Of anv
of which means destruction to crops and less
of labour. In the interior, a labouring man
could be placed in the position of a small
holder in the Mother Country. The front
lands are suitable for the growth Of snoor
cane, and rice and cotton; and every an.
couragement should be given to gel the
abandoned coast estates restored to %cultiva.
ton by a coolie proprietary body,-the East
Indians taking more kindly to labour on the
mudfats than the Blacbs do. The Gold
Industry should be fostered, but always with
the Interior view of getting the masses to
settle in the uplands, to make farm home.
steads for themselves; and We would dron
the suggestion whether The time has not
,cntna f,r OInoar bn1darC nr Ynipors - ...-,