Annual report on the Falkland Islands and Dependencies / Colonial Office.

  • Great Britain. Colonial Office.
Date:
[1961]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the Falkland Islands and Dependencies / Colonial Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    tar machine by fire. A new machine was immediately ordered and has been received in the Colony, and it is planned shortly to re¬ commence work on the roads. The Falkland Islands Company has taken steps to establish a mink farming industry. The first mink arrived in the Colony early in 1960 and have since been breeding successfully. This much needed secondary industry was welcomed and encouraged by Government. Since the establishment of the mink farm necessitated approximately double the number of mutton sheep formerly required in Stanley, the Company combined the mink farm project with the construction of a new and modern butchery. The importance of education in the Falkland Islands is fully realised and more educational projects are planned. The extension of Darwin Boarding School and the provision of additional facilities there stands high on the list of priorities, and will be implemented as soon as the expense can be met. Lack of men teachers continues to be a problem, and the assistance of volunteers from Voluntary Service Overseas has been most welcome. Mr. A. R. Wannop, Director of the Hill Farming Research Organisation in Scotland, visited the Colony from November 1960 to January 1961, during which time he saw almost every farm on East and West Falkland and inspected many of the smaller islands too. His visit was connected with the important problem of the improvement of pastures and of the sheep industry. The pioneering efforts by some farmers towards improvement were favourably commented on, and though fencing, sub-division, and grazing control are likely to effect most improvement in the economics of farming in the Camp, land improvement of selected areas is an equally necessary development. The comments and recommenda¬ tions contained in Mr. Wannop’s report are being closely studied, and action as a result is proposed. The Colony’s revenue depends on the prosperity of the wool industry, since practically all revenue is derived, directly or in¬ directly, from sheep-farming. It is estimated that an average wool price of 55d. to 60d. per lb. is needed to present a balanced budget when expenditure, including a certain amount of special or develop¬ ment expenditure, ranges from £300,000 to £350,000 a year. For the past few years the average selling price of wool has been from 46d. to 48d. per lb. and there have been revenue deficits in spite of the fact that special expenditure has been reduced to an almost negligible amount. Measures are now being introduced to increase the rate of taxa¬ tion. As from 1st January 1962 the income tax scale will be extended from a maximum of 3$, 6d, in the £ on income over £950 to a