في المحقة على الطعمية
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
4.1.C.O.882/12
بسائنس
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BF REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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Municipal.
31. Other proposals by the Commissioners involve the restoration to the Municipality of Port Louis of their full functions. It is not possible in any case to arrange this during the current year as their budget has been already fixed and it cannot be supposed that the Commissioners' proposal that they should resume responsibility for all works without any additional contribution from the Goverii- ment will be tamely accepted. The position in regard to the water supply of Port Louis is not clearly stated by the Commission in the notes furnished to me. The water supply is the property of the Municipality but is being maintained and managed by the Govern ment. The question of who is to pay for restoration of the head works destroyed by the flood of December, 1929, and now being reconstructed by the Public Works Department remains unsettled. I think it possible that a bargain might be struck with the Municipality by agreeing to forego claims for reconstruction and interim expenses on condition that the Municipality resumed not only responsibility for the water supply but also for the maintenance of roads, streets and bridges. This would leave the matter of sanitation outstanding. I have the strongest doubt as to the advisability of returning to the Municipality the functions of sani- tary control and scavenging. The transfer of these functions to Government contrary to the experience in the case of the water supply has been a success, and it is generally admitted that the condition of Port Louis, though far from satisfactory, is out of all comparison, better than when sanitation was under Municipal control. However strong in principle may be the argument for the return to the Municipality of its functions I am of opinion that in the general interests of the island the sanitation of Port Louis should still be kept under Government control. It must be recol- lected in any case that in the negotiations which will be necessary concerning these proposals the Municipality holds the position of advantage. They can counter any proposal unacceptable to them by a simple refusal to resume any particular functions; and it would scarcely be a tenable position for the Government to adopt if it were to attempt the total abolition of the Municipality (the only weapon left in the Government's hands) because the latter refused to resume functions which the Government, of its own motion, had taken away against the will of the Municipality. In these circum- stances it cannot be expected that the negotiations with the Municipality will be either simple or brief. I consider no move should be made in the matter until after the publication of the report.
32. The position of the Board of Curepipe, Beau Bassin, and Quatre Bornes is different and simpler. The withdrawal from these Boards of the contribution voted in Head 22 (Miscellaneous), items 14, 15, and 16 can be effected by a simple act of the Council of
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Government and in that case the chief outstanding point would be the sanitary control of Curepipe, which I understand the Town Board are not very willing to assume without a Government con- tribution. In view of the situation I have described in Port Louis and the proposals made respecting the sanitation of that town I think it would be wiser not to press the question of the assumption by the Curepipe Board of sanitary functions in Curepipe if an amicable settlement is unattainable. It would be unfortunate if the two principal towns of the island were to join forces in opposing the Government policy on this matter and would certainly make reorganization much more difficult. I have little doubt that the matter could be arranged in course of time with the Curepipe Board but consider it should not be unduly pressed at the outset.
:
General.
sketchy
and incomplete 33. 1 must again apologize for the character of these comments. They have been very hastily com- piled in a time of great pressure of other work of urgent local importance and it has not been possible to give to the various pro- posals the detailed review and criticism which their importance merits I think, however, that the opinions and impressions given herein should be placed before you without delay in order that it may not be supposed that the plan of reorganization proposed in the Commission's report can be easily or quickly enforced. Their very able and complete review of the local administrative system will be most valuable if it is presented in a form which avoids as far as possible unnecessary offence of local susceptibilities, but I feel bound to say that in the circumstances in which their report was made 1 do not think it was possible for the Commissioners to have formed a true valuation of the force and extent of many of the difficulties of sentiment, prejudice and self interest which lie in the way of the full adoption of their programme. The programme is more ex- tensive and far reaching in the changes which it proposes than could easily be apparent to those unfamiliar with local conditions. A particular difficulty is that the reforms must be carried out with the same personnel who have been trained in the traditions, out- look, and habits of the system in which the Commissioners find so much material for just criticism, but with a much reduced number. The staff proposed could no doubt well undertake the work if all were hard working, competent, and reliable, but it cannot be supposed that an alteration in the estimates and reduc- tions in rates of pay will of themselves bring about the improve- ments of method and the change of outlook that the reorganization scheme needs. Unfortunately one of the great difficulties with which the local Government has had to contend is the unreliability, lack of initiative, and it must be added corruptibility, of large numbers of the subordinate staff. This difficulty will remain and form a continuous obstacle to complete efficiency in the measures of
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