PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O.885
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
**
3+
by imprisonment. Several of these cases have come to my knowledge, but it is very hard to get a conviction against the harbourers," owing to the reluctance of the immigrants to testify against them.
(b) Complaint that labourers imprisoned for breaches of the Immigration Ordinance are confined in company with criminals sentenced for offences of a more serious description. I agree with the Committee that due consideration should be given to this matter.
More than nine years ago, in March, 1901, I submitted a scheme to Government during Sir A. Moloney's administration that immigrants convicted for breaches of the Immigration Ordinance should, instead of being employed with bad characters in the Royal Gaol, be sent to St. Augustine to do the work for the Colony, without pay, which they refused or neglected to do on their estates.
My scheme was approved by the Government, and estimates for buildings, &c., were prepared and submitted to the Secretary of State, who, I believe, or the score of expense, refused to sanction it.
(e) I do not agree with the Committee as to any change being necessary in Section 140, which deals with immigrants found outside the limits of their estates without a pass. I am not aware that this clause acts harshly upon any innocent
A manager
would rarely refuse a pass to anyone wishing, say, to visit friends on a neighbouring plantation, or to go to the nearest village or town to do shopping. I scarcely see how a constable is to know whether an immigrant off the estate templates desertion or no.
man.
}}
con-
The time, seven days, in the Guiana Ordinance was, at my request in Council, altered to three. If an immigrant is absent without leave from his estate for three days there is every reason to believe he will not return. If the time was changed to seven days, any man wishing to do so could be over in Venezuela and settled in his new home before the warrant for his arrest was out.
B. Facilities to be afforded to immigrants to correspond with their friends in India.
Every facility is given to immigrants to carry out the above by this Department, both at the head office and by the inspectors. Letters are addressed for them, money orders filled up if required, and envelopes addressed to them are supplied for enclosure in theirs. I am informed that on many estates the managers also do this for the immigrants. Some time ago the Emigration Agent at Calcutta submitted a proposal (M.P. 2828/1909) that a munshi should go round to the different estates and write any letters required by the immigrants at a fixed pay. This I was not prepared to sanction as it was impossible for us or the immigrant to know what this man would write.
C. To be referred to Immigration Committee.
D. For consideration of the Government of India.
E. To be considered by His Excellency the Governor. F. Limitation for hours of work for children.
Children on estates are not forced to work at all. They do sometimes “play at working" to earn a few cents, but their parents are careful to see that this is not overdone.
At or near most of the large estates are Canadian Mission schools which the children can attend if their parents consent. After ten years of age an
infant " becomes a "minor," and works for a wage of 16 cents a day, but even then he is only given work suitable to his age and physique.
W. H. COOMBS, Commander, R.N.,
Protector of Immigrants.
29 August, 1910.
35
They unanimously agree that the primary cause of the large number of these prosecutions is to be found in the provisions of Section 70 and of Sections 144 and 145 of the Immigration Ordinance, under which the estate authorities are bound to prosecute.
The Committee also agree with the Protector that another contributing cause is want of tact and consideration on the part of the manager and his staff, also the bad advice given by "return immigrants," who on many estates seem to assume some sort of control over new-comers, and counsel them to defy the authorities. These people are always undesirable, whether they are from Demerara, Mauritius, &c.
returns from this Colony or
"
It is only on some dozen estates that such constant recourse is had to the courts, and the Committee suggest that more frequent visits should be paid by the inspectors to these estates to advise the managers in their treatment of their indenture people.
The Committee agree that it is not advisable to alter the provisions of Sections 140 and 141, nor that the period of absence from work which constitutes desertion, should be changed from three to seven days, for the reasons given by the l'rotector in his report.
With regard to labourers imprisoned for breaches of the Immigration Ordinance being confined in company with criminals sentenced to more serious offences, the Committee agree that an immigration prison at St. Augustine should not be established. This question has been very fully discussed in previous correspondence with the Secretary of State, who has advised against it.
F. Limitation of hours of work for children.
The Committee concur in the view expressed at page 104 of the report of the Committee on Emigration that regulations should be made on the subject, and recommend that the Protector of Immigrants should be asked to suggest the lines upon which such regulations should be framed.
With reference to A above, the Committee desire to point out that prosecutions for breach of indenture appear to be decreasing, as the returns for the last two years show decreases of 300 and 400 cases respectively.
AUCHER WARNER,
8th November, 1910.
Enclosure 4 in No. 26.
Chairman.
EXTRACT from Minutes of Executive Council Meeting held on 15th December, 1910. (The Protector of Immigrants was present during the discussion of this matter.) The Council advise that, (1) no action be taken as regards limitation of the hours of work of children, it being shown that the present system works well, and no abuses having been found; (2) that the recommendation to substitute seven days for three days as the period of absence from work to constitute desertion, be not approved, the shorter period being necessary in this Colony, owing to the proximity of Venezuela; (3) that the establishment of a prison at St. Augustine for persons sentenced for breaches of the Immigration Ordinance is desirable, but cannot be carried out at present for financial reasons, the Superintendent of Prisons and Manager of the Government Farm to be consulted.
W. M. GORDON,
12706
Clerk of the Council.
No. 27.
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
C 2
Enclosure 3 in No. 26.
REPORT of the Committee appointed by His Excellency the Governor to consider the questions raised as regards this Colony by the Committee in London on Emigration from India to the Crown Colonies.
The Committee held two meetings, at which all the members were present. The Committee have the honour to submit the following:-
A.
Prosecution of immigrants for breaches of indenture.
The Committee agree that the number of these prosecutions is certainly too high, but point out that the prosecution of the same immigrant (generally an habitual idler) several times in the year helps to swell the number of cases.
BRITISH GUIANA.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
[Answered by No. 28.]
(Confidential.)
SIR,
HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential despatch,
Downing Street, 16 May, 1911. of the 24th of March last,* transmitting copies of a draft Bill which has been prepared with a view to limiting the power to arrest East Indian immigrants without warrant.
No. 23.
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