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3. Respectable civilians to be allowed to enter the barracks.
4. To allow no liquor, empty casks, or bottles, without acquainting the Garrison
Adjutant or Garrison Sergeant-Major.
5. To take charge of all public property.
6. To allow no person to loiter about the gateway, or under the verandah of the guard-room.
7. No sailor to be allowed in the barracks, except passed in on duty by proper authority.
8. To take charge of all prisoners confined to guard-room, and allow no one to speak to, or to pass anything to them through the window.
9. All carts entering barracks to keep the proper road, and in no instance to be allowed to cross the grass.
(Signed) Garrison Office, January 29, 1868.
(Copy.)
By order,
P. A. MACLEAN, Garrison Adjutant.
(G.)
Replies to Questions contained in Memorandum from Superintendent of Police, dated July 30, 1867.
1. Vagrancy exist with both classes of immigrants, viz., new and old, but. chiefly among the latter..
2. Generally by old immigrants.
In illustration of my reply, I will furnish a few examples, to prove the correctness. of the assertion :----
A
gang robbery at night, attended with burglary and violence, was committed at Recreation, the proprietor of which was severely beaten, and the ladies assaulted; murder would have probably ensued had assistance not arrived to repel the attempts made by the robbers.
After the lapse of a few months, when the thieves were arrested, the leaders of the band were found to be old immigrants, the whole of whom resided in Flacq.
Another gang robbery was committed at "Valetta;" the band was estimated to. consist of about twenty persons; after inquiries made, it was clearly, ascertained that the band was composed principally of old immigrants from Plaines Wilhems (who found a refuge with the small gardeners), and the chief of the band was, as usual, an old immigrant.
A robbery of a similar description was committed at "Roslyn Cottage" by a band of Indians from Pamplemousses; it was afterwards discovered that the band was entirely composed of old immigrants.
It would only be a repetition to enumerate any further cases, as the facts are, unfortunately, so clear as to admit of no doubt that gang robberies are committed at the instigation, and under the direction and control, of old immigrants.
3. About 8,000.
4. The number of old immigrants under engagements on estates, and having licenses, may be estimated about 4,000.
At least 50 per cent. of the Indians, not under engagement, may be considered as. vagrants; the laws at present in force, vis., Ordinance No. 6 of 1888, No. 42 of 1844, and No. 4 of 1864 have had but little effect in repressing vagrancy among old immi grants. Provided his papers are en règle, an old immigrant is not likely to be arrested by the police, and not being required to conform to any regulations restricting his freedom of action, be wanders over the Colony, as a rule, continually changing his residence; this unrestricted liberty is generally admitted to be one of the greatest evils under which the Colony labours, and one which loudly calls for remedy. I would strongly urge a system of registration, by which old immigrants would be compelled to establish, to the satisfaction of the Magistrate of the district in which they resided, that they were in a position to earn an honest livelihood, otherwise they should be detained until employment could be found for them, being allowed the option, if they so desired, of returning to India.
The adoption of this system would be attended with the most beneficial results, an there would always be obtained a sufficient number of man to work on the estates, and the heavy expenses at present incurred in recruiting new immigrants would be
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considerably reduced, and a proportionate reduction effected in the actual expenditure for police and jails.
It would also have the effect of repressing vagrancy among the new immigrants (a moet important point), as being aware that they could not be harboured with impunity with which they are at present, one of the greatest inducements of desertion would be removed.
In order that the law may be beneficial in its operation, it would be necessary that its provisions should be enforced with strictness, without being arbitrary.
It would be conferring a real benefit on the old immigrants, those of that class who are at present vagrants, by causing them to work, their portion would be ameliorated, and the sad scenes of misery and destitution, which I have witnessed during the past six months, would not again be likely to occur; an incentive would be given to industry; crime would decrease; and taxation, which presses so heavily on the industrious, would be much obviated.
Old immigrants should not be permitted to remove from one district' to another without previously receiving permission to that effect.
Special legislation is necessary for the Indian population; and, in all countries where Indian immigrants have been introduced, regulations similar to those proposed' have, I believe, been established,-as a result, been attended with the greatest advan- tage; the Indians are placed under a control, judicious and necessary; their identifi- cation is easily proved; and, if required for any offence, may be traced with facility,— an operation often attended, in Mauritius, with difficulty.
With a view to prevent evasion of the law, it should be compulsory that all engagements between master and servant should be contracted before a Magistrate.
may, perhaps, he too sanguine in my expectations respecting the adoption of the measures now advocated, but I trust to time and experience for the realization of my hopes, and the satisfaction to be derived from an act which will tend to the prosperity of the Colony, both in a moral and social point of view.
O. L. O'CONNOR.
To the Sperintendent of Police.
(Copy:) Sir,
(Signed)
(H.)
Central Police Office, Grand Port, September 21, 1867.
I have the honour, in reference to the Draft Ordinance for the suppression of vagrancy, &c., to offer the following observations :---
Articles 20 and 21 are so good as they stand, that I fear that any alteration or curtailment must impair their efficiency; I have known several' instances of thieves engaging each other before Stipendiary Magistrates, so that they might follow their nefarious calling unchallenged by the police, unless, of course, detected in a crime. A case tried at the present assises; where two Indians were sentenced to ten years esch, for burglary with violence, was of this olam. The band was composed of nearly thirty Indians, and had committed serious crimes, in this and adjoining districts. The leader, a most notorious character, escaped punishment; he is, notwithstanding his real pursuits, a proprietor, possessing three-quarters of an acre of land in one district, and leaving about the same quantity in two others. This very respectable individual had, at one time, nearly twenty convicted thieves under his engagement: (43 and 44) I assume it to be intended by these Articles to keep Indians under surveillance, but the means to be employed will not, in my opinion, accomplish that. The holders of will, of course, by such means, be recognised at the Stipendiary Courts, be free from passes arrest, &c., &o. But can a stipendiary Magistrate exorcise an effective surveillance over the holders of passes? or prevent the many abuses by which the system is boset?
The duties of Stipendiary Magistrates seldom bring them in contact with the holders of such passes when following their avowed occupations. I do not know what objections could be urged against investing these powers in the police, but I think no valid ones.
One of the best preventives to crime is for the police to know the persons and characters of all the residents in their rempontève districts, and, therefore, every facility should be afforded them for acquiring that knowledge, and yet it would appear that the authorities invariably adopted such measures as almost to preclude the possibility
of that.
For example, the petty traders, who usually combine a less creditable calling than their avowed one, when changing are called upon by Ordinance No. 27 of 1846 to