På kolonirådsmøder i juni og begyndelsen af juli 1878 fremlagdes de mange problemer såsom nedbrud på den centrale sukkerfabrik, standsning i produktionen osv. Også i avisen den 29. juni 1878 udtryktes bekymringer om fabrikken. En læser skrev følgende:
To the Editor of the "St. Croix Avis.'
Dear Sir,
Allow me in behalf of myself and others to thank you for the private reports of the Proceedings of the Colonial Council, you kindly furnish us with; if even they are not quite as long, perhaps in a few instances not so correct, as the official Reports, still it is in many instances preferable to receive a speedy and short resume of those proceedings that the public generally feel an interest in instead of waiting until the matter is half forgotten. In fact I have reason to believe that many who have not patience to read the long official reports, read the short private ones.
I candidly acknowledge that I waited with anxiety for Wednesday's Paper, hoping to find there a resume of last Monday's meeting. You are, Mr. Editor, aware that, of late there have been circulating a great many dreadful reports about the Central Factories, and that these reports working in the dark, have even gone so far as to condemn them altogether and to prophesy a great failure and that the works would sooner or later be sold as old iron, and I do believe these reports have done much harm. They reached their height after the Order of the Day for last Monday's Meetings had been sent round, in which the Govornment asked for authorisation to use an amount of $ 15,000 to take shares in the Central Factories. Although I am from long experience pretty well acquainted with the different ways reports are got up, and carried about, the different, not exactly harmless motives for spreading them, I know how much I can believe of them. Still, as in this case the opinion seemed to be so very much against the Factories I thought, according to the old proverb "no smoke without fire," that a very serious misfortune for the whole country was to be expected, as I do believe that the future of our Island is to a great extent dependent on the succes of the Factories; but Mr. Editor after having read your report of the Proceedings in the Council. I have come to a different result. My old confidence in the Factories has been strengthened.
I see from the reports that the Factories have met with a great many difficulties in the shape of breakages and other accidents to the machinery. Was this not to be expected? (In what condition is the Machinery on many of our Estates?) But I do not see any one state that the difficulties are of such a nature that they cannot be got over; on the contrary I see such expressions from His Excellency Governor Garde as the following:
"There was no longer any question that the system of the Factory was a good and profitable one. Its managers had proved their competence to overcome difficulties. The sugar made was unequaled. The Factory is solvent not withstanding the many difficulties. He had no doubt that in future the Factory would be able to work without assistance " May I now ask if any serious thinking men could for one moment suppose that His Excellency, who has taken such a vital interest in the erection ot Factories, should not be thoroughly acquainted with the real state of affairs, and that his statement was not the only correct one ?
Next we see the Chairman of the Council giving explanations to the members, which seem to a great extent to have been called forth by the reports in circulation. We find him speaking very seriously to the members about their responsibility, stating that only such members could vote for the money asked for us had confidence in the future of the Factory. At the same time he states that he had heard nothing whatever to justify the belief that it was a failure. We find him furthermore alluding to the great confidence the Council has shown, even until lately, reminding them of the great loans we have had from home on the strength of the Factory, loans which I have no doubt have to a great extent saved this island from utter ruin in our days of trial. Such are the expressions of the Chairman of the Council, who has, we know, been from the very commenaeineut the Chairman of the Central Factory Committee.
After the Chairman's speech we see no other speech from any member in that meeting, but we see the whole Council went into Committee in which explanations were asked for and given by the managers of the Factory. Afterwards two meetings were held and the Bill was adopted with 9 votes against 1. What passed in the Committee we do not see, nor if the one member who voted against the bill gave any reason fordoing so Perhaps the official Report may give further explanation of such interesting details.
We see in the Governor's speech the following passage "His Excellency further regretted the absence of so many members today especially of those who perhaps entertained opinions against the Factory. If there were any such members, they ought to have felt themselves bound to attend to-day and give utterance to their feelings. The only right way was to speak out such things boldly and clearly, so that elucidations may be given, and every member thus be able to judge for himself" These were true words. Many of the absent members are opposed to the Factories and could have given any good and sound reasons why they should not be supported and held up I know not. If so I regret the absence for the same reasons as stated by His Excellency. I feel no doubt that those members have felt very sorry themselves at having been prevented from attending the meeting. One thing we all know is this, that many a member has often left the Council's meetings with quite different views about matters than he had before the meeting, before he heard the different elucidations given during the discussions. What we often find is this; that measures laid before the Council are condemned before hand by private individuals who are not thoroughly acquainted with the circumstances and who go so far as to try to influence members of the Council in favour of opinions more or less loose, thus forgetting that members of the Council are bound by oath to act and vote according to their best conviction, and not to be guided by the prevailing opinion among their constituents, which often changes from one day to another.
To come to a close Mr. Editor it seems quite clear to me that after this msetiug any serious thinking mail must put less confidence than ever in the last reports circulating about the Factory and class them more or less with the report we heard some time ago that one of the stations had sunk. Until the contrary of what has been stated in the Council on Monday has been proved by practical and intelligent men who can be supposed to have a clear idea of the whole management and working of the Factory, I for my part shall knowing that "all beginning is difficult" still entertain the best hope in regard to the Factory, that it will overcome its difficulties and have a bright future, and likewise that every inhabitant will soon learn to see the benefits that can be derived from its success, and thus as far as he can, will give his support to this no doubt ery important undertaking. When the Factory is well established I feel no doubt that the labour question nd all other pending questions will be solved in a smooth oud satisfactory manner.
(St. Croix Avis 29. juni 1878).
Den 21. august 1878 kunne "The Avis" konstatere at fabrikken på intet tidspunkt havde kunnet levere de 23 tons sukker om dagen som ledelsen havde forsikret guvernøren om. Der var ikke flere penge at tage af til at få fabrikken på fode.
Et møde i Christiansted den 26. august 1878 for plantageejere og andre lignende endte med en resolution som udtrykte håb om at fabrikken kunne komme op at køre.
Ingen kommentarer:
Send en kommentar