}
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
96
20. The Indian Government desire that recruiting operations should in future be confined to certain districts.
Before giving a formal approval to these proposals, I would suggest that a statement be called for from Calcutta showing, in the past three years, how many emigrants have been drawn from these districts, and how many from districts outside, and from what parts.
11
21. In reference to the visit of an Indian officer on inspection to certain Colonies, the India Office write: stalling criticism instead of taking action in particular cases, when agitation over the There is much to be said for a policy of fore- condition of Indian labourers has already arisen."
In this connection, I would submit for consideration that an invitation be given to those members of the India Legislative Council who are annually agitating for the termination of indentured labour to appoint a representative to visit one or other of the Colonies, to see for himself the condition under which the emigrants live and work, and so dispel some of the Cfantastic]§ ideas on the subject which are advanced from time to time. Would the Honourable Mr. Gokhale be disposed to accept such an invitation after he has finished his course of the waters in Germany?§
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I have, &c..
A. MARSDEN,
Emigration Agent for Trinidad, Fiji, and Jamaica.
(On leave.)
97
statement of the duties and liabilities of employers as well as of those of indentured persons, and should also explain the special machinery provided for the protection of the latter.
5. I am, however, to suggest that the actual preparation and issue of such a summary might conveniently be postponed for a while, as Mr. Harcourt has recently expressed his agreement with the proposal that officers in the service of the Indian Government should pay periodical visits of inspection to the Colonies which recruit indentured Indian labour. It is presumed that the Indian Government will depute an officer to carry out the desired inspection at an early date. That officer will have the opportunity of discussing with the Governments of the various Colonies the penal provisions of their respective immigration laws, and there is no doubt that the local governments would be willing to consider the question of further modifying any provisions which may be deemed to be productive of harshness to persons work- ing under indenture. . I am, therefore, to suggest that it would be preferable to defer drawing up a statement of the kind indicated in the preceding paragraph until the proposed visit of inspection to the various Colonies has taken place.
6. I am to suggest that, if it is deemed advisable to take early steps to meet the objections to the emigration system which have been raised by the Honourable Mr. Gokhale and other members of the Legislative Council in India, this might use- fully be effected by deputing some Indian gentleman of enlightenment and experi- ence to accompany the Government official who is to visit the various Colonies, and by obtaining a joint report upon the result of their inspections. It would, of course, be essential that the gentleman question should be independent and impartial.
C.O.
Reference :-
885
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
No. 59.
COLONIAL OFFICE to INDIA OFFICE.
[Answered by No. 66.]
Downing Street, 29 July, 1912.
SIR,
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you for the con- sideration of the Marquess of Crewe, the accompanying copy of a letter* from the Government Emigration Agent for British Guiana (who is also acting as Emigration Agent for Trinidad, Jamaica, and Fiji) relative to a proposal by the Government of India that the attention of intending emigrants shall in future be specially drawn to the penal liabilities attaching to their contracts.
2. In its present restricted and one-sided form the proposal of the Indian Government does not commend itself to Mr. Harcourt as fair either to the possible emigrant or to the Colonies; and I am to point out that the Report of Lord Sanderson's Committee, which was stated in your letter of the 8th of May last to be "the only basis upon which emigration from India can be maintained in the future," contains no recommendation of the kind, though in the course of the evidence given before the Committee a suggestion of this nature was made to the Committee by the Honourable C. David, Member of the Legislative Council of Trinidad.t
3. The Committee, of course, made it clear in their Report that the conditions of service should be fully explained to intending emigrants, ie., that they should be made to understand that they were binding themselves to work for a certain term of years and upon a fixed scale of pay. present proposal, which would, if adopted, have the effect of placing before the That is, however, very different from the emigrants a one-sided statement of one aspect of their contract, including many penalties which are rarely enforced and were originally framed to a large extent in their own interests.
4. Mr. Harcourt apprehends that it should be the aim of all who are con- nected with recruiting in India to put before intending emigrants, as clearly and as simply as possible, the conditions of the life which lies before them in such a manner as to enable them to weigh its advantages against its possible disadvantages, and he would suggest that this could most fairly be done by furnishing every would-be emigrant with an official summary in his own language of the Immigration Laws of the Colony to which he is proceeding. Such a summary should, of course, contain a
• No. 55.
† No. 54.
† See No. 5494 on page 198 of [Cd. 5193].
§ See Nos. 92 an:l 95.
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SIR,
I am, &c.,
H. J. READ,
for the Under-Secretary of State.
No. 60.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNORS. (Jamaica. No. 231.) (British Guiana. No. 194.)
(Trinidad. No. 256.) (Fiji. No. 226.)
Downing Street, 10th August, 1912.
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, for your information, the accompanying copy of a letter which has been received from the Government Emigration Agent for British Guiana at Calcutta, who is also officiating, in Mr. Marsden's absence, for Trinidad, Fiji, and Jamaica, relative to a proposal which has been made by the Government of India that the attention of intending emigrants should in future be specially drawn to the penal liabilities attaching to their contracts.
2. I also enclose a copy of a lettert which I have caused to be addressed to the India Office upon this subject, from which you will see that I have suggested that the fairest method of putting before intending emigrants the conditions of the life that lies before them in the Colonies would be to furnish each emigrant with an official summary in his own language of the Immigration Laws of the Colony to which he is proceeding.
3. You will also see that I have suggested that the compilation of such a sum- mary should be delayed until after the visit of a representative of the Indian Govern- ment to the Colonies which recruit indentured labour, and that I have invited consideration of the possibility of associating some enlightened and experienced Indian gentleman with the Government officer deputed to visit the various Colonies.
I have, &c.,
• No. 55.
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L. HARCOURT.
† No. 59.
G
Page 480Page 481
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98
No. 61.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNORS.
(Jamaica.)
(British Guiana.)
(Confidential.)
(Trinidad.) (Fiji.)
SIR,
Downing Street, 10th August, 1912. In my public despatch, No. [231] [194] [256] [226], of this day's date,* I have forwarded to you certain correspondence relative to a proposal which has been made by the Government of India that the attention of intending emigrants should in future be specially drawn to the penal liabilities attaching to their contracts of indenture.
2. You are already aware from the Report of Lord Sanderson's Committee, and still more so from the despatch from the Government of India of the 25th of May, 1911, and other more recent evidence, that the opposition in India to the system of recruiting indentured labour for service in the Colonies has materially increased during the last few years.
3. It is impossible to disregard the importance of the change which has come over a considerable section of public opinion in India with regard to indentured labour, and it appears to me that it will be difficult, under existing circumstances, for the Government of India to maintain indefinitely (in the words of Lord Sander- son's Committee) "the attitude which they have hitherto adopted towards the system.
of neutrality more or less benevolent "
4. It is, therefore, obviously undesirable that any Colonial Government should commit itself to heavy capital expenditure in regard to indentured emigration, and this should be borne in view in the consideration of all questions connected with the future of coolie immigration both in India and in the Colonies into which such labour is imported. A similar communication has been addressed to the Governors of [British Guiana, Trinidad, and Fiji] [Jamaica, Trinidad, and Fiji] [Jamaica, British Guiana, and Fiji] [Jamaica, British Guiana, and Trinidad].
21039
99
No. 63.
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION AGENT AT CALCUTTA FOR BRITISH GUIANA.
SIR,
Downing Street, 15th August, 1912.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th of June,* relative to a proposal which has been made by the Govern- ment of India that the attention of intending emigrants should, in future, be specially drawn to the penal liabilities attaching to their contracts.
2. I am to enclose a copy of a lettert which Mr. Harcourt has caused to be addressed to the India Office, from which you will see that he has suggested that the fairest method of putting before intending emigrants the conditions of the life that lies before them would be to furnish each emigrant with an official summary in his own language of the emigration laws of the Colony to which he is going. You will see that it has also been suggested that the issue of such a summary should be delayed until after the visit of the representative of the Indian Government to the Colonies concerned, and that consideration has been invited of the possibility of associating some enlightened and experienced gentleman with the Government officer deputed to visit the various Colonies.
&c.,
21039
SIR,
I
am,
HENRY LAMBERT,
No. 64.
for the Under-Secretary of State.
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION AGENT AT CALCUTTA FOR BRITISH GUIANA.
(Confidential.)
'WITH reference to my letter of this day's date, I am directed by Mr. Secretary
Downing Street, 15th August, 1912. Harcourt to transmit to you, for your confidential information, copy of a confidential despatch which he has addressed to the Governors of Trinidad, British Guiana, Jamaica, and Fiji relative to the attitude of the Government of India towards the recruiting of indentured labour for the Colonies.
21039
I have, &c.,
L. HARCOURT.
No. 62.
COLONIAL OFFICE to MR. A. MARSDEN.
22576
I am, &c.,
HENRY LAMBERT,
No. 65.
for the Under-Secretary of State.
SIR,
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to
Downing Street, 15th August, 1912. tion, the accompanying copy of a letter which has been received from Mr. Gibbes, you, for your informa- relative to a proposal which has been made by the Government of India that the attention of intending emigrants should in future be specially drawn to the penal liabilities attaching to their contracts.
2. I am also to enclose a copy of a letters which Mr. Harcourt has caused to be addressed to the India Office upon this subject, and I am further to enclose, for your confidential information, copy of a confidential despatch which he has addressed to the Governors of Trinidad, British Guiana, Jamaica, and Fiji, relative to the attitude of the Government of India towards the recruiting of indentured labour for the Colonies.
I am, &c.,
HENRY LAMBERT,
for the Under-Secretary of State.
•
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION AGENT AT CALCUTTA FOR BRITISH GUIANA.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
[Answered by Nos. 7and 107.]
Downing Street, 16 August, 1912.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to inform you that he has had under his consideration your letter of the 11th of April last,|| relative to the measures which it is desirable to take in connection with the amalgamation of the two British Emigration Agencies at Calcutta, and I am to transmit the accompanying copy of correspondence with Mr. Marsden, to whom your letter was referred for his obser- vations.
2. I am to request that you will furnish Mr. Harcourt with an expression of your views upon the various points which were put to Mr. Marsden in the letter from this department of the 12th of July,** and upon the various suggestions and proposals contained in his letter of the 18th of July,†† with a detailed estimate, if possible, of the saving which may be expected from a fusion of the staffs of the Agencies.
• No. 60.
† Enclosure 1 in No. 39,
‡ No. 55.
§ No. 59.
No. 61.
• No. 55.
No. 53.
33391