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reference to the documents which Dr. Laurent wished to present and which were not ready at 11 o'clock. Mr. de Boucherville observed that the Colombo mail was leav- ing on that day, and asked that the despatch be forwarded by that steamer. Governor's answer was that he could give no undertaking to do so, as he did not think that time would allow of his preparing his despatch before the mail closed; and he repeated to them his promise to communicate with the Secretary of State, sending the full information he could obtain, by the earliest possible opportunity.
The Procureur-General, who was present at the interview with the Colonial Secretary, here recalled to His Excellency's recollection that Dr. Laurent had pro- posed to wait on him again on the following day, i.e., Tuesday, the 30th, before the meeting of the Council of Government, and then to present the communication which was not ready at present: and that the Governor had said that it had better be sent as soon as it was ready.
His Excellency further stated that he waited in town during the remainder of the day, and the communication from Dr. Laurent reached him at half-past one o'clock the Colombo mail, as the Council was aware, left in the afternoon of the same day.
Was then read Dr. Laurent's letter transmitting the resolutions passed at the meeting; a translation into English of these resolutions enclosed in the above com- munication; the reports from the Inspector-General of Police and the police officer on duty in the Champ de Mars, and an account of the meeting furnished by the District Magistrates of Port Louis, I. and III. Divisions.
In view of Dr. Laurent's unseconded attempt made at the last meeting of the Legislature to present and lay on the Table his letter addressed to the Governor and the enclosures therein, the Governor asked for the Council's advice whether it would be expedient in the circumstances to print the whole correspondence, other, of course, than the despatches now on their way to the Secretary of State, and present it to the Council as an official paper laid by command.
The Members of the Council being of opinion that such course should be followed, His Excellency stated that he would have prepared and printed the docu- ments for presentation to the Legislature.
The General Officer Commanding said that an officer under his command was on duty at the Citadel on the day of the meeting, and that he could well estimate the number present. General Creagh added that he would obtain a report from such officer, which he would furnish to His Excellency,
83
Enclosure in No. 79.
SIR,
56, Corderie Street, Port Louis, July 21, 1908. I HAVE the honour to forward to Your Excellency a copy in triplicate of the telegram which I sent, after having submitted the text to you, to the Right Honour- able the Secretary of State for the Colonies, on June 28th ultimo.
66
2. I beg also to forward to you three copies of a memorial emanating from the Comité d'Action Libérale" to be transmitted, at your earliest convenience, to the Earl of Crewe.
I have, &c.,
E. LAURENT, M.B., President of the Comité d'Action Libérale.
To Sir Cavendish Boyle, K.C.M.G.,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over
Mauritius and its Dependencies, &c., &c., &c.
TO SECRETARY of State for THE COLONIES, London.
10. People of Mauritius 25,000 assembled on the Champ de Mars offer through your Lordship to His Majesty assurance of loyalty and attachment to person and throne.
20. They are of opinion that loan is indispensable to help them to start a land State Bank for all agricultural wants; loan also necessary to carry out works of public utility.
30. They disown resolution voted by Legislature on April 23rd last, and urge necessity Commission of Enquiry as suggested by Lord Elgin in despatch to Governor. Three resolutions voted unanimously.
Dr. LAURENT, Senior Member and Mayor of Port Louis,
President.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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TILLICO. 882
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH---NOT TO
30737
No. 73.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 22 August, 1908.)
(No. 218.)
[Acknowledged 19 October, 1908. No. 194.]
Government House, Port Louis, 22 July, 1908. MY LORD,
In continuation of my despatch, No. 198, of the 4th current, I have the honour to transmit a letter which I yesterday received from Dr. Laurent asking that I will transmit, at my earliest convenience, a memorial addressed to your Lordship by the Comité d'Action Libérale on the subject of recent public meetings which have been held in relation to the proposal of your predecessor that the Council of Government should, if the Colony desired to press for a loan in aid of the planting industry, invite the appointment of a Commission of Enquiry for the purposes mentioned by Lord Elgin,
2. I am acceding to the above request by to-day's outgoing mail, but, as I deem it necessary to consult my Executive Advisers on the subject, I must ask to defer my report thereon until the next opportunity of communicating with your Lordship.
I have, &c.,
• No. 71.
CAVENDISH BOYLE.
MY LORD,
Port Louis, Mauritius, July 21, 1908. In reply to the offer made by your Lordship's predecessor of appointing a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the circumstances and economic condition, in Mauritius, of the sugar-cane industry, and also to enquire into the administrative and financial conditions of the Colony generally, in view of a proposed loan to planters, the Council of Government passed, on the 23rd April fast, a resolution declaring that they did not feel justified in inviting the appointment of a Commis- sion of Enquiry for the present.
2. The resolution was voted by all the ex-officio and nominated members, and by the elective members with the exception of three--the honourable member for Flacq, the honourable member for Grand Port, and the senior member for Port The dissenting Louis, representing the three largest electorates of the Colony. members had previously voted in favour of an amendment moved by the honourable member for Flaoq, to the effect that the Council, asserting their full confidence and belief in the future of the sugar-cane industry, provided it be given cheap money, had no objection to the appointment of a Commission of Enquiry.
3. The same three members signed a dissent which is annexed to Minutes No. 1, of 1906, and to which we beg to refer your Lordship for what the dissenting members thought was the correct view of the situation.
4. The decision of the Council caused much surprise and dismay amongst the public, as it was at once felt that it was not in accord with what had been said and done before, under the leadership of the very members who voted with the majority. The Chamber of Agriculture had, on April 8th, voted a resolution that a loan was indispensable, and as regards the inquiry, they voted that they did not fear it. Very few, of course, could approve of the form of the latter part of the resolution, yet there was a general belief that the loan would be insisted upon, and that an
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