213
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
LC.O. 882
8
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
oppose the competition of Indian doctors, and many of the Creole population would regard the employment of Anglo-Indian officers as a confiscation of the "rights" of their sons.
19739
SIR,
+
I have, &c.,
GRAHAM BOWER,
Officer Administering the Government.
No. 168.
CROWN AGENTS to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received June 3, 1904.)
[Answered by No. 187.]
Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W., June 2, 1904. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th May, 1904, and to inform you that until the time for repaying the Mauritius 4 per cent. bonds is nearer, we are unable to say at what rate it will be possible to renew them or to issue bonds to replace them, and we, therefore, propose to await the arrival of the Ordinance before taking any action in the matter.
2. We doubt, however, whether it will be possible to trace all the holders of the existing debentures and, therefore, that it will not be possible to postpone the repayment of the debentures and that the only course open will be to repay them and make a fresh issue in their place.
19739
No. 169.
I have, &c.,
E. E. BLAKE.
MR. LYTTELTON to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER.
(Sent 6.15 p.m., June 6, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Copy to Crown Agents, June 8, 1904. L.F.]
Your telegram of 16th May,† impossible to estimate cost with any certainty at the present time. It depends on future state of market. Crown Agents deferring action pending arrival of Ordinance.
13599
No. 170.
MR. LYTTELTON to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER.
[Answered by Nos. 200 and 201.]
(No. 140.) SIR,
Downing Street, June 10, 1904.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch, No. 104, of the 19th of March, ‡ forwarding a copy of Mr. de Coriolis's Minute in reply to the Acting Colonial Secretary's request for the plans, &c., of the proposed branch railways.
2. I cannot understand how Mr. de Coriolis could have proposed the construction of lines of railway, estimated to cost over £100,000, without proper plans and without such a survey of the lines as would place the Government in a position to obtain the opinion of the consulting engineers on his proposals. It is out of the question that the Superintendent of Public Works should receive a special allowance for carry- ing out the proposed survey. It appears from his Minute that he received remunera- tion for preparing his original scheme for these railway extensions. I should be glad
• No. 166.
† No. 165.
‡ No. 151.
to receive further information on this point, and I would point out that under the Financial Instructions, such an addition to his emoluments requires the sanction of the Secretary of State.
I
3. In view of the financial position of the Colony, as recently disclosed by your telegrams and despatches on the subject of the repayment of the Advances in Aid Loan, it appears very unlikely that any further extensions of the railway system will be possible in the near future, and in any case I agree to your proposal to defer further consideration of the whole question until after the arrival in the Colony of Sir C. Boyle. may add that recent events have greatly strengthened the opinion which I expressed in my despatch of the 8th of February, which has now been published, that the independent advice of experienced engineers is essential if further railways are to be built.
4. I should be glad to learn whether you have found it possible to make any arrangements for assisting the small Indian planters, of the nature suggested in my telegram of the 19th of February.†
21884
*
No. 171.
I have, &c.,
ALFRED LYTTELTON.
ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received June 20, 1904.)
(No. 192.)
SIR,
Government House, Mauritius, May 20, 1904. WITH reference to my despatch, No. 190, of the 18th instant, covering the speech which I addressed to the Council of Government when opening the Session on the 17th instant, I have the honour to report as follows respecting the cost of the railway extensions paid from revenue:-
Long Mountain Railway, Rs. 124,624 up to date, but expenditure still going on; Bois Cheri and Mexico Line, 242,152; Town Tramway 117,877; total Rs. 484,653.
As these extensions have been paid for from revenue they constitute an asset with
no corresponding liability.
2. I have reason to believe that when properly equipped and completed they will prove to be paying lines but, in any case, they are a valuable asset.
22345
No. 172.
I have, &c.,
GRAHAM BOWER, Administering the Government.
ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 3.38 p.m., June 23, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 174.]
The deficit of next year is estimated at Rs. 423,080. In my speech opening Council of Government I stated that this must be met by extra taxation. Leclézio proposed in Council yesterday that the expenditure already incurred, or to be in- curred, on present estimates for the following works be defrayed by a loan, namely, Bois Cheri Tramway, past expenditure Rs. 239,384, present expenditure Rs. 64,000; Long Mountain Railway, past expenditure Rs. 119,595 additional rolling stock Rs. 80,000; Town Tramway Rs. 102,495; dredger, past expenditure Rs. 255,000, present expenditure Rs. 255,000, total Rs. 1,115,474. On the vote being taken the votes were equal including my own vote; only one unofficial member of Council voted
21882: not printed.
No. 126..
† No. 128.
Page 300Page 301
may
214
with the Government; I gave my casting vote against the motion but was requested by the unofficial members of Council to telegraph the vote to you for your decision. add that whilst I conceived it my duty to speak at some length, and vote against the motion, I do not disguise from you that the burden of increased taxation will be severely felt by an impoverished community (at), and that it is strongly opposed both in the Council and out of doors. Please let me have your decision by Saturday, 25th
June.
215
adjourned till Thursday, 30th June. Please reply to my proposal re Widows' and Orphans' Fund by to-morrow evening.
Confidential. I strongly recommend that I be allowed to take Widows' and Orphans' Fund as Government will be defeated on question of extra taxation.
I also ask for permission to omit your reference to my confidential telegram of 26th June in papers to be presented to Council of Government.
22729
No. 173.
ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON.
(Received 2.32 p.m., June 26, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 174.]
you
Strictly confidential. Please reply to my telegram of 23rd June*; reject Leclezio's motion, I must introduce taxation measures Tuesday, June 28th. Government majority depends on one very doubtful vote. In reply to question put to me confidentially by Leclézio asking what I would do if Government defeated, replied that I could not pledge myself on a hypothetical case, but would probably advise Royal Commission which would cover extended ground of enquiry. He replied that he had friends in Houses of Parliament and he would take risk. I advised him to reflect before taking action which may have serious consequences.
22345
No. 174.
MR. LYTTELTON to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER.
(Sent 4.20 p.m., June 27, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 175.]
Your telegrams of 23rd June and 26th June. Could not sanction issue of fresh loan for such purposes.
22896
No. 177.
MR. LYTTELTON to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER. (Sent 7.15 p.m., June 29, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 178.]
Your telegram of 27th and 28th June. † Regret cannot sanction taking reserve of Widows' and Orphans' Fund. Despatcht follows by mail.
23107
No. 178.
ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 8 a.m., June 30, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
Referring to your telegram of 29th June,§ may I suggest you wait arrival of report of debate and my despatch before writing promised despatch. I will report again after to-day's meeting of Council of Government.
23161
No. 179.
22896
No. 175.
ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON.
(Received 10.37 a.m., June 28, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 177.]
Referring to your telegram of 27th June, can tide over present difficulties by taking reserve of Widows' and Orphans' Fund amounting to Rs. 765,185 and adding funds to Treasury balance. Deficit to be met from Treasury balance thus increased. I recommend this, but on the understanding that breathing time thus gained should he utilised for purpose of placing finances on sound basis.
22946
No. 176.
ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 4.37 p.m., June 28, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 180.]
Referring to my telegram of to-day,§ discussion on Appropriation Ordinance
ACTING-GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON. (Received 2.11 p.m., June 30, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
Referring to my telegram of to-day, Appropriation Ordinance passed, but suspension of Standing Orders to introduce measure for increase of taxes rejected by Council of Government by majority of two against Government. Shall send reports by next mail,
23107
No. 180.
MR. LYTTELTON to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER. (Sent 3.50 p.m., June 30, 1904.)
TELEGRAM.
Your confidential telegram of 28th June.** Omission of reference approved.
• No. 172.
† Nos. 172 and 173.
‡ No. 174.
• No. 173.
† Nos. 175 and 176.
‡ No. 211.
§ No. 177.
No. 191.
No. 175.
No. 178.
•
No. 176.