PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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THILL CO. 882
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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17758
54
No. 55.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(No. 108.)
MY LORD,
(Received May 18, 1908.)
[Answered by No. 65.]
Government House, Port Louis, 11 April, 1908.
I HAVE to-day had the honour of addressing your Lordship by telegram* on the subject of a communication which I made to the unofficial members of the Council of Government with regard to the question of the appointment of a Commis- sion of Enquiry as raised in your telegram of the 30th of March.t
2. On the 6th current, the 14 unofficial members of the Council (there is one vacancy due to the resignation of Mr. L. Antelme) responded to an invitation which I had addressed to them, and met me in Port Louis. I informed them of the object of the interview, and I attach a copy of the communication which, together with a copy of my telegram despatched to your Lordship on the 13th March, I then handed to them.
3. As I foresaw, the impossiblity of avoiding publication of the matter under reference at once became apparent. The members, having heard my communica- tion, asked that they might consult their friends and supporters, and stated that they would be unable to furnish me with their views without doing so; they added that the public anxiety as to the result of the application for a loan was great, and they begged me to absolve them from any obligation to treat the matter in confidence. As I had already informed your Lordship that such was likely to be the case, I acceded to their request, and they retired promising to furnish me with their views on the 10th current.
4. In the meantime, namely, on the 8th, a meeting of the Chamber of Agri- culture was held when resolutions were passed, and on the following day a meeting of some 500 or 600 persons, promoted by Dr. Laurent, Senior Member for Port Louis, was held in the theatre of that town, whereat certain other resolutions were carried all of which I have communicated in my telegram first under reference.
5. The unofficial members of the Council, in accordance with their promise, met me in Port Louis yesterday, and handed me the views of the majority, 11 in number, and of the minority of 3, and these have also been embodied in my message of to-day.
6. I transmit herewith full copies of all these documents as enumerated in the schedule attached, and I am now awaiting your Lordship's instructions with regard to the further action which should be taken in the matter.
I have, &c.,
SCHEDULE OF ENCLOSURES.
CAVENDISH BOYLE.
1. Copy of communication handed to unofficial members of the Council of Government. 6th April. A copy of Sir C. Boyle's telegram of 13th March also given (not enclosed).
1908.
2. Views of 11 of the Unofficial Members handed to the Governor. 10th April,
3. Views of the minority of three (Dr. Laurent, Messrs. Duclos and Gébert), handed in at the same time.
4. Resolution of Chamber of Agriculture. 8th April, 1908.
5. Letter of Mr. Florigny giving cover to resolution at meeting held in the theatre at Port Louis.
• No. 45.
↑ No. 42.
‡ No. 35.
55
Enclosure 1 in No. 55.
COMMUNICATION to the Unofficial Members of the Council of Government by His Excellency the GOVERNOR in Government House, Port Louis, on Monday, April 6th, 1908, at 12.30 p.m.
(Confidential.)
In reply to the representations which I made to the Secretary of State when submitting the resolutions of the Chamber of Agriculture passed at the meeting held on the IIth of March, Lord Elgin has stated that he has not at his command sufficient information to enable him to form a satisfactory opinion on the application for a loan, though, with such evidence as he has, the review of the situation does not lead him to regard it with favour.
By the course of official correspondence it would be obviously impossible to obtain such information, and the only satisfactory evidence would be the appoint- ment of a Commission by which the circumstances of the estates requiring assistance would be investigated fully, and in detail, and also the necessity, or otherwise, for improving or adding to the existing machinery, and generally as to the economic condition of the industry.
Lord Elgin would, in the event of the appointment of the Commission, desire to take advantage of the opportunity of having an independent enquiry into the administrative conditions of the Colony with a view to determining whether economies in the Administration are possible, and whether the sources of revenue can be made more productive.
If, therefore, the Colony desires to press for the loan, and if the Council of Government by resolution should invite the appointment of a Commission of investi gation, and provide for the actual expenditure, the Secretary of State would lose no time in selecting the members of such Commission.
Enclosure 2 in No. 55.
VIEWS of 11 of the Unofficial Members handed to the Governor, 10th April, 1908. With due deference to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, we see no reason to invite the appointment of a Commission of Enquiry.
Without saying anything regarding the cost, which must, in any circumstances, be pretty heavy, and which the Colony, in the present state of its finances, is not in
a position to bear such an enquiry is not, in our humble opinion, called for.
And besides, the application for a loan requires an early solution, and cannot be made to await the result of the suggested enquiry. We therefore beg that the Secretary of State for the Colonies be pleased to consider favourably the measure of relief suggested by the Chamber of Agriculture, at all events to allow that a sum of £200,000, as applied for by the Council of Government last year, be put at once at the disposal of the planters for the wants of their estates, and we consequently ask that the Secretary of State be informed accordingly.
Voted by:-
The Honourable Sir W. Newton, K.C., Kt. The Honourable H. Leclézio, C.M.G.
The Honourable George Guibert, K.C.
The Honourable Gaston Antelme.
The Honourable Louis Souchon.
The Honourable Emile Sauzier, K.C.
The Honourable Clément Dumat. The Honourable P. E. de Chazal, C.M.G. The Honourable G. Ritter, C.M.G. The Honourable Dr. Nalletamby. The Honourable G. Ireland.
Enclosure 8 in No. 55.
VIEWS of the Minority of Three Unofficial Members.
Considering that it is absolutely necessary in the public interest that the Secretary of State should sanction the loan applied for at the meeting of the