1032/1887.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.885
Reference :-
13 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
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1
No. 81.
(MAURITIUS.)
LAW OFFICERS to WAR OFFICE.
CASE as to SALE of MILITARY HOSPITAL, PORT Louis, MauritiuS.
Facts.
In the year 1882 the Secretary of State for War directed the removal of the troops at Mauritius from the barracks and buildings at Port Louis to a more healthy position in the island, and the Colonial Office was informed that it was proposed that the barracks and hospital should be sold and the proceeds expended in the erection of barracks on War Department land on the hills.
An inquiry was at the same time made whether the Colonial Government would purchase the disused buildings (p. 1 of Correspondence herewith). The Governor of Mauritius replied (p. 3 of Correspondence), as to the site and buildings of the military hospital, that they were valuable and much wanted by the Colonial Govern- ment for an enlargement of their custom house, and that it would be inexpedient that they should pass into private hands, and if offered for sale they would have to be purchased by the Mauritius Government, which would thus have to make a large contribution to the cost of the Curepipe Barracks (these being the new barracks on the hills proposed to be constructed by the War Department). The Governor's letter concluded by suggesting that if it were absolutely necessary to derive funds from the site and buildings of the hospital they should be rented to the Mauritius Government, and that such a lease would be in accordance with the original grant of the land in 1841 to the Ordnance Department, to which reference was inade in an earlier part of the letter, and which is set out at p. 4 of the Correspondence.
The Governor's letter was accompanied by a Report from the Procureur-General of the Colony (p. 5 of Correspondence) upon his examination of the title deeds of the War Department properties, expressing his opinion that, equitably at least, if the properties were no longer required for the purpose of which they were granted they should be retroceded to the Mauritius Government for the public service of the Colony, and he inferred that they could not be sold by auction or disposed of to any other than the Governor of the Colony.
A print of Ordinance No. 51 of 1861 referred to by the Procureur-General is sent herewith.
The War Department rejoined (p. 6 of Correspondence) that the claim of the Mauritius Government to the reversion of the buildings in question could not be recognised, as the accommodation afforded by them could only be dispensed with by the War Department on condition that suitable accommodation should be provided for the military establishment on a more healthy site, and that for that object it would be necessary to provide funds by the sale of the buildings in question. It was further stated that Mr. Childers would have no objection to the transfer of the buildings to the Colony if suitable barrack buildings were first provided at Curepipe. And it was pointed out that no contribution on the part of the Mauritius Government towards the erection of new buildings would be involved beyond the estimated value of such War Department property and buildings as might be absolutely transferred to the Colony.
By letter of the 3rd April 1883 (pp. 6 and 7 of Correspondence) the Colonial Office stated that the Mauritius Government would pay Rs. 100,000 for the hospital property on condition that the money would be spent in providing hospital and barrack accommodation for the troops at Curepipe.
The War Department replied (p. 7 of Correspondence) that the property was considered of much higher value than Rs. 100,000, and a valuation was suggested.
The Governor wrote (p. 8) that no competent and independent valuator could be found in the Colony, and that the Council of Government would not give a larger price than Rs. 100,000.
On the 13th September 1883 the War Office wrote (p. 9) that if the Colonial Govern- ment would not give a price equal to that which they had been offered by a gentleman
▲ 20491.-49, 25.-1/87.
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