PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
8
| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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by 50 per cent. and on the following further conditions which have been sanctioned by the Council :
EL
(1) That the owners of land to be crossed by the new lines should generally transfer previously, free of all mortgage and free of any payment, the lands which are necessary for the line, for the construction of stations, &c., and approach roads for the public.
(2) That there be levied for the different traffics on the new line an increase of 50 per cent. in the rates as recommended by the General Manager of Railways in his Minute of 20th December, so long as this rate is considered necessary to defray the working expenses, interest and sinking fund.
(3) That agreements be previously completed in order to secure to Govern.
ment the transport of sugar, provisions and merchandize.
6. In addition to the above general conditions, a special clause was intro duced with regard to the 3rd line: 'Mare-d'Albert-Cent Gaulettes," as follows:- subject also to any alteration which the Governor in Executive Council might deem advantageous to the revenue with regard to special cases." This condition was inserted to enable the Governor in Executive Council to grant a reduction in the rate in any special case.
7. The low price of sugar now prevailing must, unless a rise takes place, pre- judice the finances of the Colony, but I am satisfied that unless the planters are furnished with the means of transport the prejudicial effect on the finances will be increased. For this reason I have, after taking time for reflection, decided to recommend the scheme adopted by the Council of Government.
8520
GENTLEMEN,
No. 141.
I have, &c.,
GRAHAM BOWER, Administering the Government.
COLONIAL OFFICE to CROWN AGENTS.
Downing Street, March 21, 1904.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th instant, † with regard to the position of the Mauritius account, and to inform you that a copy of it has been forwarded to the Officer Adminis- tering the Government, who has been asked to report as to the arrangements to be made for keeping you in funds.
2. With reference to the letter from this Department of the 3rd November last I am able to state that the further loans for the drainage of Port Louis, £23,500, and the improvement of the Mare-aux-Vacoas Waterworks, £17,000, have now been approved, and that the Secretary of State learns by telegraph that an Ordinance sanctioning them has been passed by the Council of Government. A copy of the Ordinance will be forwarded to you when it is received and you will then be at liberty to obtain advances against the unissued loans for the amounts specified.
3. As the re-afforestation loan of £110,000 is not to be raised for the present, and as it will probably be advisable to issue the other three loans with the re- afforestation loan, and in view also of the present unfavourable condition of the money market, it seems desirable to defer for a time the issue of any of these loans.
4. The other railway loans referred to in the last paragraph of the despatch of 3rd November to the Officer Administering the Government enclosed in the above- mentioned lettert from this Department have not been authorized by the Secretary of State.
5. I am to add that Mr. Lyttelton understands that you have not yet obtained any advances under the Re-afforestation Loan Ordinances, Nos. 25 of 1901, and 22 of 1902, and to say that it is now undesirable that you should do so without further instructions from this Department.
• Enclosure in No. 127.
† No. 138.
I am, &c.,
C. P. LUCAS.
‡ No. 113.
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SIR,
187
No. 142.
MR. LYTTELTON to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER.
(No. 63.)
Crown Agenta, March 14. To Crown Agents, March 21.
Downing Street, March 21, 1904.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 10th instant stating that an Ordinance pro- viding for the raising of a loan for the drain- age of Port Louis, £23,500, and for the improvements to the Mare-aux-Vacoas Waterworks, £17,000, was passed on the 8th of March.
2. I enclose copies of correspondence with the Crown Agents for the Colonies and should be glad to receive a report from you as soon as possible as to the arrangements to be made for keeping them in funds under the circumstances disclosed in their letter of the 14th instant.
11075
No. 143.
I have, &c.,
ALFRED LYTTELTON.
ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
(Received March 28, 1904.)
[Answered by Nos. 145 and 162.]
Government House, Mauritius, February 22, 1904.
I HAVE the honour to enclose for your information, the following papers relative
to the position of the sugar industry in Mauritius:-
1. Extract from the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive Council held
on the 12th instant.
2. Copy of a confidential letter from the Manager of the Bank of Mauritius.
3. Copy of a confidential letter signed by Messrs. Leclézio and Edwards.
I have also had a conversation with Mr. Hutiau, the Chairman of the Commercial Bank, and he informs me as follows:-
2.
1. That the financial position is critical.
2. That his bank will not make the usual advances to the planters in April unless the Government waives its claim to exact the payment of the first instalment of the advances in aid loan this
year.
3. That unless the Government takes this course there must be what he
describes as a débâcle.
I have for some time held the opinion that the position of the sugar industry
in Mauritius is unsound, and that the indebtedness is so great that the planters could not survive a prolonged period of depression.
have hitherto believed that whilst there
3. But as regards the present year
was cause for anxiety, and that a minority of the planters would not realise their expenses, the majority would do so, and with a sufficient margin.
4. I estimated the cost of production at about six rupees twenty cents per 100 lbs., and as the price of sugar during the months of August, September, October and November was such as to leave a good profit on the estimated cost of production, I considered that the profit realised by those who were sufficiently well advised to sell their sugar during those months, would leave a sufficient margin to meet their liabilities.
5. I was aware that during the months I have named many did not sell, and were at last compelled to realise during the months of December, January and Febru- ary when the market was so low that it left practically no profit on the cost of pro- duction. But it was not till Messrs. Leclézio and Edwards made their statement in
• No. 135.
† Nos. 138 and 141.
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