PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
C.O. 882
6
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDONİ
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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maintained the opinion that a loan was indispensable; and they urged that at least the sum of £200,000 should be applied at once to the wants of the sugar cultivation : but they distinctly declared against an invitation to appoint a Commission of enquiry. On the 10th of the same month eleven out of fourteen Unofficial Members of Council, in giving their reasons for not wishing to put forward such an invitation, renewed their request for the loan. Both resolutions were communicated to your predecessor by telegraph on the following day, together with the views of the minority of three Unofficial Members, and a resolution passed at a meeting held at the theatre in Port Louis under the presidency of Mr. Florigny. So far, therefore, the Chamber of Agriculture and the majority of the Unofficial Members of the Legislature pressed, continued to press, for the loan; but on receipt of Lord Elgin's reply to the effect that he was unable to add anything to his previous communica- tions on the subject, and on that reply being made known to the Council, neither the majority therein nor the Chamber of Agriculture gave any cause for the belief that the loan would still be "insisted upon" by them. The former, certainly and declaredly, abandoned all expectation of a loan for the present, and I have every reason to believe that the Chamber of Agriculture, as representing the planting interest, and the planters themselves, arrived at the same conclusion.
4. As to the alleged desire to "ward off a commission," I can only say that I have heard and read nothing to support the statement. The Chamber of Agricul- ture, the mouthpic of the planting interest, expressed their opinion on the ques- tion, and the majo, ty of the Unofficial Members in the Legislature, representing the electorate, declined, for reasons stated and reiterated, to avail themselves of the option afforded to them of inviting the appointment of the commission; and state- ments were made and repeated to the effect that if the commission were appointed and sent out by the Imperial Government no question would be raised, no opposi- tion would be offered, by those who found themselves unable to invite it, and who deprecated the charge on the Colony's exchequer which such invitation would entail.
5. By telegram and despatch your Lordship has been duly informed of the course of events, and the majority of Unofficial Members in the Legislature, and the planters, the original seekers, I may almost say supplicants, for the loan, are surely taking a rational-the only rational-position in attending to their ordinary avocations, pending the receipt of any further communication on the subject with which they may be favoured.
6. I have no knowledge of "concessions being made on diverse sides, with the sole object of avoiding an enquiry," and I can only repeat that the Official Members of the Council were left absolutely free to record their vote on the question, and neither to them, nor to any other person, was given the slightest indication of my personal views thereon.
7. Under cover of my despatch of the 4th of July* will be found a printed paper referring to the four public meetings which have been held, and I'do not think that I can usefully add to the information therein furnished with regard to the occurrences and attendance at those gatherings, beyond remarking that the official estimates of the numbers present at the Champ de Mars do not support the assertion contained in the tenth paragraph of the memorial.
8. With regard to the thirteenth paragraph, I have to observe that no informa- tion has been afforded to me as to the composition of the "leading Committee " who lay claim to represent the opinion of the people of the Colony on this question, and that no evidence has been offered in support of the subsequent assertions therein contained. It is, moreover, noteworthy that neither of the two other members of the Council who, with the senior member for Port Louis, formed the minority on the 23rd of April last appear to have taken any part in the movement.
9. Whilst entirely agreeing with the views expressed as to the benefit to be secured by "cheap money," I am not, as at present enlightened, prepared to endorse the statement with regard to the rate of interest and commission ruling in com- mercial and agricultural transactions; usurious and far higher rates are, I regret to state, frequently charged on accommodation loans; but those obtaining in legiti- mate business transactions, even in times of financial stringency, do not, as far as I can gather, reach the figures given in the fourteenth paragraph of the memorial. Neither can it be demonstrated that about Rs. 10,000,000 are raised by the Govern- ment to maintain its administration. A reference to the annual estimates will show that, even including such sources as rent of Government properties and reimburse- ments in aid, the sum so raised does not reach Rs. 7,000,000-for the current year
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it amounts to Rs. 6,579,770-the items brought to account in the abstracts for Post and Telegraphs, Railways, Interest, and Land sales, which aggregate for the same period Rs. 3,253,100, forming no part of the actual revenue raised for such purposes. That there have been recurrent deficits cannot be denied, and that the revenue of the past year fell largely short of the estimates is, I regret to say, equally true; the figures given in the memorial being in fact short of the actual results both with regard to revenue collected, and savings in expenditure effected. But it should be borne in mind that the period under review was one of exceptional depression in agricultural and commercial undertakings: and that circumstances beyond human control largely contributed to, if they did not entirely cause, the resultant limita- tions in the earnings and spending power of the people, and the consequent shortage
in revenue.
10. Moreover, in the two preceding years, 1905-6 and 1906-7, the revenue exceeded the expenditure by the respective sums of Rs. 307,538 and Rs. 155,110; comparatively small amounts perhaps, but evidencing, I submit, the recuperative power and the ability of the Colony, in the absence of the crippling effects of bad seasons and devastating calamities, to pay its way. It would be idle to attempt to minimise the gravity of the present situation, the anxiety with which the immediate future must be regarded; but in the realisation of an abundant crop, during the agricultural year just commenced, there may be found some measure of relief for the present distress.and some possible improvement in the financial position of the Government.
11. That the supply exceeds the demand for clerks, and young men seeking to gain their living in professional, rather than in agricultural, occupations, is undeni- able; and it is equally true that the lower grades in the Government Service are overmanned and underpaid. I do not think, however, that the education system is the conducing fault in the first position; but even if I am mistaken in that respect, it is a fault which is not confined to this Colony; and I venture to think that, whilst every effort is made to provide them with a liberal education, the means are not denied to the rising generation, if they evince the desire, of acquiring knowledge such as may fit them for employment on the land and in the workshops of the Island. It is not easy to write with accuracy on the demand for skilled mechanics within the Colony; it is possible, however, that here too the supply may be in excess; but there can be no doubt on the agricultural side of the question. The necessity under which the planter has found himself to seek his labour supply from outside, the introduction and maintenance of thousands of East Indian workmen on the estates, the gradual absorption by this section of the community not only of all field labour, but of the occupations of market-gardening, small shop-keeping, domestic service, the local carrying trade, dairy work, and the like, limits the range of employment for Creoles of the land, who, in Mauritius as in other tropical Colonies, do not readily take to such methods of earning their livelihood.
12. A policy of reduction in Government establishments is consistently pursued; and whilst it is hardly necessary to refer to the time which must elapse before any large measure of effective improvement can be produced in that respect, no evidence is offered by the memorialists in support of their sweeping assertion that the administration is bad on account of useless expenditure and improper
economy.
13. If, as is asserted, the people suffer because the appointment of native Mauritians to serve under the Governments of other Colonies is of infrequent occur- rence, I have to observe that applications for such employment are equally infṛe- quent, and that, on more than one occasion in my experience, offers of recommenda- tion to posts outside have been declined because the candidate for Government employment or promotion has been unwilling to leave his native land.
14. An expert in malaria has but recently been employed on a mission of enquiry into the causes of the disease, His report and advice as to the methods of prevention of this scourge is daily expected, and pending the receipt and con- sideration of it, further enquiry into the unhealthy condition of the town of Port Louis, as well as of several of the country districts, would be premature. The annual expenditure of the Health Department is undoubtedly large in proportion to the population, but it has yet to be shown how it can be safely reduced if effica- cious measures against the introduction and spread of diseases of an epidemic nature are to be maintained, and if the care and relief of the needy sick are to be continued at the cost of the State.
15. It seems unnecessary to traverse in any detail the assertion that uneasiness is felt in business circles because the same persons act on the direction of more than
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