160
I
178
With respect to budget taxes proposed by the Unofficial Members reported in my telegram No. 59 with the addition of extra house tax as above and certain extensions and increases would produce about Rs. 700,000 and might, I think, be accepted as reasonable substitute for the Commissioners' proposals. Tax on Government Loans should be extended to cover dividend on local companies and licence fees further increased.
As pointed out in my telegram No. 33* the whole position depends on prospect of improvement in trade, i.e., sugar. If there is no improvement after the Elish Budget it will be very difficult to resist further levy on Government salaries. Proposed levy of 20 per cent. seems to me unreasonable but even this, together with full programme of taxation proposed by the Commission, would not balance the Budget in these circumstances. Addition of 5 per cent. to the present graded levy would produce about Rs. 685,000 as compared with Rs. 400,000 at the present rate.
If however there is definite improvement in trade outlook further extensions of salaries levy would not seem necessary though there may be a case for extension of the present 10 per cent. rate to flat rate as proposed by the Commission exempting salaries below Rs. 780.
It appears clear that reasonable retrenchment of staff should be insisted on as it would be unjustifiable to impose higher levy on salaries of about Rs. 5,000 Government employees in order to retain the services of about 300 who are not really required.
Levy on pensions seems open to objection on the obvious ground already stated in my despatch on 17th November, 1931, and also because most of the pensioners outside the Colony are already. subject to heavy taxation in countries of residence. If therefore it is necesary to carry salaries levy as high as 15 per cent. some reduction in pensions would be almost unavoidable.
Can any further information be given yet as to military contri- bution referred to in your telegram No. 41. If this should be reduced I suggest that it should be made a condition that levy on the Civil Service is kept within reasonable limita
* No. 48.
+ No. 40.
‡ No. 51.
C. 93940/32 [No. 3].
179
No. 65.
Despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governor of Mauritius.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
DOWNING STREET,
22nd April, 1932.
I have the honour to refer to Chapter 5 of the Report of the Mauritius Financial Commission dealing with Education and to your comments on the Commissioners' proposals in paragraph 16 of your Confidential despatch of the 17th November.*
2. I have already approved the closing of the Training College and of the Industrial and Technical Schools which were the most important recommendations made by the Commission for economy in the Education Department. As already intimated, I regret the necessity for what must appear a retrograde step but as it appeared clear that these Institutions could not be made efficient without con- siderable further expenditure, their closing appeared to me measure which would produce an appreciable saving with no great loss to the educational facilities of the island. At the same time I fully recognize the desirability of the establishment of a more efficient organization for the training of teachers when money is available.
a
3. As regards the Commissioners' views on other educational matters, I am generally in agreement with them. Their proposals for new scales of salaries for masters in the Royal College are primarily a matter for local consideration, so far as men recruited in Mauritius are concerned. The salaries proposed for masters to be recruited in this country are barely adequate to secure men of the standard required; but I do not, at present, wish to suggest any increase. I agree that the policy should be to make more use of local men, although, if this is done, it will be all the more import- ant that the comparatively few men recruited in this country should he of a high standard. The Commissioners have proposed different scales of salary for masters with and without degrees, a distinction which has already been recognized by the existing scales. While I have no desire that this distinction should be abolished, I would sug- gest two points for your consideration, viz. :-(1) that masters with- out degrees should not be encouraged to undertake, in the hope of * No. 40.
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PUBLIC
PECORD OFFICE
Peference -
DAMAMC.O.882/12
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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