PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TREEC.O.882
2 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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totally unfit for the purposes of cultivation. But now we had a much better class of men, who were acquainted with the work upon estates; and their efforts had been aided of late by the introduction of machinery. Besides, a smaller area of ground was planted with canes, and, by superior cultivation and improved manufacture, a reason- able yield was obtained. The daily lessening disproportion among the sexes was also anotlier good sign, and there could be no doubt, as each day went on, more men could be ready to remain on estates, sure of a home, sure of payment, of medical care, and of every reasonable protection. He might add, that one of the main reasons why requisitions were sent to India was to prevent the men combining, and raising wages in an artificial manner, making it impossible to realize a crop without loss; and as long as the employer can get labour in the Island at a price that will leave him a fair profit, he is not likely to import fresh immigrants. By so importing new immigrants to keep the rate of wages within equitable limits, those convulsions of society which had so often troubled continental States, and from which Mauritius was so happily free, would be avoided; and he did think that the planter would never be so blind to his own interests as not to divide a fair share of his profits among his workpeople in the shape of wages.
He
And now reverting to the main question, he must say most decidedly that he opposed this measure because, if carried, it would impose an inequality between the old and the new immigrants, and would create great discontent among the former-- was it wise that a measure should be passed that would foster discontent? It would have the great disadvantage of creating a disturbing element, and it would not do to tell the thousands of labours now here, "You have no right to return passages, you have settled here, and must stop here if you cannot save five months' pay;" and to let them see that men, who were new to the place, and not used like themselves to the work, getting the same wages, and into the bargain a free return passage. It was not desirable to create such an inequality as that, and the only way in which an equality will be obtained would be by paying the new emigrants a lower rate of wages. certainly thought the motion was premature, for they had not yet arrived at the period when they must choose between submitting to the unreasonable demand of the old immigrants, or of offering every inducement for new immigrants. We had not yet come to that, and this inducement to immigrants should be reserved to a time when they had to cope against an artificial rise in the price of wages. And what would be the effect of this question, if it were carried? There were two members absent from Council, both of whom, he was authorized to state, would, if present, vote against the Resolution. What would be the good of carrying this measure if, in a few months or next year, the whole question was reopened, and the vote of to-day recon- sidered? For these two members who were absent were, against the Resolution, and they had assured him that, if it was carried, they would use every allowable means to bring their views before the Home Government. He did say, with all respect, and yet with all firmness, that they ought not to pass such a measure, holding out such an inducement one year only to undo it the next. They were going to legislate in the dark for a day ten years hence. Who could tell in ten years hence whether the cost of a passage would not be as cheap as twenty years ago? He said nothing about the probable expense of the scheme, though it might prove a very great inconvenience if it came in years like the last three or four, when the Island had been suffering from hurricanes and bad harvests, and had an empty Treasury; but he had sufficient confidence in the future prosperity of the Colony to hope it would be able to meet the charge. But he did say that they were about to create an imposition that might not be maintained, and one which they had much better reserve till they were really in such want of labourers that they would have no alternative. For those reasons he must vote against the Resolution.
The Honourable Mr. Antelme in consideration of the presence of their distinguished visitors (the Royal Commissioners) would to day speak in English, and for that reason he must claim the indulgence of the Council. He had not intended to address the Council that day, but as so many allusions had been made to his Report, and also to his views on this subject, he felt bound to any a few words in support of the views he had already expressed, and to show that his Report was not merely actuated by those feelings of humanity to which reference had been made, and which he should be glad to repeat at that Board, but also by a true regard to the beat interests of the Colony. When he saw those miserable creatures come from India to cultivate our soil and to enrich our country it appeared to him very inhuman, when the time came, at the expiration of their industrial residence, and they desired to return to their native country, to say to them, "you must take the money for your passage out of your
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savings secured by hard work. The country will not pay for you. You were bound by laws which you perfectly well understood when you came here." That mode of reasoning was not in accordance with the great principle of humanity, and he would be very sorry to believe that he was the only planter who expressed such an opinion. He knew many planters who had a different view to that expressed by his honourable friend Naz, who, he thought, was over bold in his statement that he (the speaker) was the only planter who took the humanitarian view of the matter.
The Honourable Mr. Naz.-I said to my own knowledge.
The Honourable Mr. Antelme.-Whether his friend was right or wrong it would not cause him to alter his opinion. He begged to say that there were several other strong reasons which urged him to support the Resolution, and one was that the knowledge of Mauritius, which had formerly been so favourable in India, was evidently dying out. So few immigrants returned to India, that nothing was known of the place, and, therefore, as was but too evident, the task of recruiting became most difficult. Formerly, when large numbers of Indians went back to their native country, they were able to speak of Mauritius and the way in which they were treated, and the report always being a favourable one, it was never difficult to get men. But, by the abolition of free passages, that means of obtaining men had been done away with. Now, we only sent back those who were incapacitated, or those who could do nothing here; and were such persons calculated to give a good report of Mauritius? It was true, some men had returned at their own expense, but they were not very numerous, some 2,000 each year,-bnt what were they spread over such a large tract of country as India? What could so few say about Mauritius? Could they give a true account of it to the people of India ? Cer- tainly not, when they recollect the Protector of Immigrants, to whom they had applied for their return passage, had said that he could not grant their request
Would they not complain of that? Instead of giving a good reputation to Mauritius they would give it a bad name. Now, he believed that the passage of the Resolution would greatly strengthen the hands of our agents in India. It was quite true they had not, in so many words, appealed for the revival of return passages, but they said they found great difficulty in competing successfully with the agents of other Colonies, and, he would ask, would not the competition be equal if the other Colonies did not offer return passages ? If other Colonies did so, why should we refuse to do so? especially when all must see it would facilitate the operations of our recruiting agents. He waLS certain that all would admit that, though there might be powerful arguments on one side, there were as powerful arguments on the other. He would admit that, even if return passages were granted, the number of emigrants who would go back would not be so many as he should wish. That might be accounted for in the fact that the term of their residence would give them time to acquire settled habits. Formerly, when the term was five years, many Indians used to return to their native country to get a wife, and some of them returned not merely with one wife, but with several wives. Indeed, the disproportion of the sexes was an inducement for men to return to India. That cause had disappeared. The proportion has become, and will every year increase, nearer to one another, and it would be noticed from the figures that the proportion was a good deal above 30 per cent., the Government minimum. Besides that, it must be recollected that the women had but little desire to go back, because here they were better treated by their husbands, and are generally better off here than they would be in India, so that the number of women will increase every year, But there is another reason why the change would be accompanied by no bad consequences, and that was in the fact that, after ten years' residence here, very few Indians will think of returning. They would marry and beget children, and a wife and children are obstacles to leaving a country. He could not take them with him, unless he wished to lose caste, and ho would, therefore, have to return alone, leaving them behind. Besides, after ten years' residence here he must have contracted habits which would make him unhappy in India. And if those who had men of their own occasionally spoke with them, as he sometimes had, they would find that after ten years' residence here very few Indians would be inclined to return to their own country. He should therefore vote for the revival of the return passages on the good principle of humanity, and because they were calculated to serve the true interests of the Colony.
The Honourable E. Ducray wished to declare why he intended to vote for the Resolu- tion. He had always thought the revival of return passages would be in the interest of the country; but when, though not in the least interested in sugar planting, he heard his honorable friend who had just sat down, and who was a large sugar plantor, state that the intended measure would do no harm, but would do good, he had no hesitation in
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