PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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Reference :-
C.O. 882
8
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
248
The estimates for next year have been prepared with a due regard to economy. Very important and even necessary services and works have been struck out, but with every desire to reduce expenditure it has not been found possible to reduce the deficit below Rs. 457,431. It will be gratifying to me if the Council should be able to still further reduce this deficit, but I fear that it is difficult to make further economies, and the Colony will have to provide about half a million in extra taxation in order to produce equilibrium.
I may at once say that it is the intention of the Government to leave vacant such posts on the fixed establishment as may be vacated during the current year, whenever It is possible to do so consistently with the laws of the Colony and the requirements of the Service. But I do not expect that any very serious economies can be realised in this way
for some time to come.
But although the financial position is not satisfactory, I see no reason for despair or even discouragement.
The present crop, though not as large as the last, will, nevertheless, be a good average crop. The price of sugar is rising, and the planters' expenditure of last year on earthworks for tramways-an expenditure which involved serious embarrassment to the planters-is not recurrent and is reproductive. With renewed prosperity in the community the financial position of the Government must improve; but I would be failing in my duty to the Council and to the Colony if I did not urge the necessity for economy and for a more zealous scrutiny of even the most deserving claims for public expenditure.
The question of the repayments to be made by the planters under the Advances in Aid Ordinance has been engaging the earnest consideration of the Secretary of State, and I am authorised to say that after a full consideration of the question he is prepared to approve of the following arrangements for the payment. Each instal- ment may be postponed for one year on the express condition that the repayment of advances will be a first charge on the proceeds of any sales made to the Government for re-afforestation, and also that the same procedure should be followed as in the ease of the original applications for advances, and that the Officer Administering the Government must have absolute discretion to refuse any application for postponement.
As soon as the necessary Ordinance has been passed the Secretary of State will communicate with the Crown Agents as to raising funds to pay off, on the 1st August next, the debentures which then mature by issuing other debentures for £101,200, repayable on the 1st August, 1906, or arrange for the further currency of the present debentures.
The Ordinance should give the Crown Agents a free hand.
I congratulate the Colony on this decision of the Secretary of State, which affords further evidence of the kindly sympathy which His Majesty's Government entertains towards the sorely tried people of this Island; and I do not doubt that in arriving at this decision the Secretary of State has received the assistance and advice of that loyal friend to Mauritius, Sir Charles Bruce.
A draft Ordinance to give effect to the decision of the Secretary of State will be submitted to you at an early date.
Port Louis was visited by a disastrous inundation on the night of Sunday, the 8th instant, and the Secretary of State desires me to express the great regret with which he has learnt of this fresh misfortune.
Draft Ordinances will be submitted to you dealing with the following subjects:-
An Ordinance for the consolidation of the Distillery Laws.
An Ordinance for the consolidation of the Law on Merchant Shipping.
An Ordinance for the consolidation of the Patent Law.
An Ordinance to deal with the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund.
I have as yet no information as to the date of the arrival of the new Governor of Mauritius, Sir Cavendish Boyle, but I do not doubt that he will receive a hearty welcome from all classes on his arrival.
I trust that the blessing of God may attend your deliberations, and that you may he guided to decisions likely to promote the welfare and happiness of the people of this Island.
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In the name of His Majesty the King I now declare this session of the Council .of Government of Mauritius to be open.
Government House, Mauritius, May 17, 1904.
.27495
SIR,
GOD SAVE THE KING!
GRAHAM BOWER,
Officer Administering the Government.
No. 192.
ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER to MR. LYTTELTON.
(No. 237.)
(Received August 5, 1904.)
[Answered by Nos. 211, 212 and 213.]
Government House, Mauritius, July 1, 1904. I HAVE the honour to submit, for your approval, the estimates of revenue and expenditure of the Colony for the financial year 1904-05.
2. The draft estimates were considered, as usual, in Committee of the whole Council, and finally adopted by the Council on the 30th ultimo I enclose a copy of the report of the Committee, to which are attached the Minutes of Proceedings of the several meetings.
3. The estimates, as drafted, showed an expenditure of Rs. 10,791,401.26, and
a revenue of Rs. 10,333,970.00. The estimates, as passed, fix the revenue at Rs. 10,269,970, and the expenditure at Rs. 10,688,221.60, leaving a deficit on the transactions of the year of Rs. 418,251.60.
4. To the explanatory notes printed on the fly-sheets I will add only what seems
to be necessary, under the heading Personal Emoluments.
Archives Office.
The increase of Rs. 500 under this head is due to the personal allowance to Mr. A. Duvivier, the Custodian of Archives, approved by your despatch, No. 31, of the 4th February last.†
Postal and Telegraph Department.
This Department shows an increase of Rs. 1,538. This additional expenditure
is necessary to carry out the recommendations of the Postal Enquiry Commission, and to provide for additional postmasters and telegraph operators, consequent on the opening of new railway lines.
Medical and Health Department..
The increase of Rs. 22,844 is due to the reorganization of the Headquarter Staff of the Department, and to the newly created post of Director of the Bacteriological Laboratory, already sanctioned by you. I have, in my telegram of the 1st instant,‡ asked
you to postpone the appointment of the Bacteriologist, if not too late.
Police Department.
An addition has been made to the staff of the Police Department to permit of the maintenance of the police station which was opened last year at St. Pierre, in
• Not reprinted.
19234
† 1183: not printed.
23376: not printed.
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