Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/395

 LEEWARD ISLANDS 343

Ttj*ks and Caicos Iblaxds, a Dependency under the government of Jamaica, are geographically a portion of the Bahamas, of which they form the two south-eastern groups. The government is administered by a Commis- sioner, assisted by a Legislative Board of five members, all of whom are appointed by the Crown. The Governor of Jamaica has a supervising power over the local government. There are upwards of thirty small cays ; area 165i miles. Only eight inhabited ; the largest, Grand Caicos, 20 miles long by 6 broad. Seat of government at Grand Turk, 7 miles long by 2 broad ; about 1,700 inhabitants. Population (1911 census), 5,615 (males, 2,505 ; females, 3,110), of whom 286 were white. Estimated population, December 31, 1918, 5,615. Births (1919), 173 ; deaths, 169; marriages (1919), 45.

Education free in the Government schools; Government grant, 700/. ; 9 Government elementary schools ; average number on rolls (including private schools), in 1919, 784 ; and average attendance, 596. There is at present no State provision for secondary education.

Revenue in 1919, 11,164/. of which 3,5252., was from customs, and 1,720/. from royalty on salt ; expenditure, 9,263/. There is no public debt.

Total imports (1919), 38,343/. ; total exports, 33,554/. Principal imports : Flour, 4,887/.; meats, 4,117/.: rice, 1,608/. Principal exports: Salt, 24,118/. ; sponges, 1,015/. : sisal, 1,294/. ; conchs, 3,005/. Imports from United Kingdom, 2,141/. ; exjiorts thereto, 580/.

The total shipping entered and cleared in 1919 amounted to 378,204 tons.

The most important industry is salt raking. About 1,177,000 bushels were raked in 1919, and exported to the United States, Canada, and West Indian Islands. Value of salt exported 1919, 24.547/. Sponge and fibre industries arealso carried on. The Cable station is at Grand Turk. The Dependency has invested surplus balances to the amount of 8,436/. Savings bank deposits (1919), 5,318/., depositors, 749.

The current coins are British gold, silver, and nickel. United State* gold and silver coins are accepted at 1^ per cent, discount on the face value.

Commissioner and Judge.— G. Whitfield Smith ; residence, Grand Turk.

LEEWARD ISLANDS

Comprise Antigua (with Barbuda and Redonda^ St. Kitts-Nevis (with Anguilla), Dominica, Montserrat, and the Virgin Islands, and lie to the north of the Windward group, and south-east of Porto Rico.

Governor and Commander-in-Chief.— Sir E. ML Merewether. K.C.M.G., K.C.V.O. (2,600/., and 250/. travelling allowance). Colonial Secretary.— T. R. St. Johnston (750/. by 50/. to 900/.).

The group is divided into 5 Presidencies, viz., Antigua (with Barbuda and Redonda) ; St. Kitts (with Nevis and Anguilla), Dominica, Montserrat, and the Virgin Islands (with Sombrero). There is one Federal Executive Council nominated by the Crown, and one Federal Legislative Council, 8 nominated and 3 elected members. Of the latter, 3 are chosen by the unofficial members of the Local Legislative Council of Antigua, 2 by those of Dominica, and 8 by the non-official members of the Local Legislative Council of St. Kitts- Nevis. In Antigua and Dominica the representative element in the Legisla- ture was suppressed in 1898. The Federal Legislative Council meets, as a rule, once a year. The duration of the Council is three years.