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17. Annexure J. has been prepared in order to show as succinctly and accurately as we are in a position at present to do so how the gross expenditure of the amalgamated Agency in rent and establishment charges may be expected to compare with the corresponding cost of the two separated Agencies in the past. But the comparison is necessarily approximate only, for we are unable as yet to make more than a rough guess at the probable rental of the depôt and officer's residence at Faizabad nor can we yet say with accuracy what will be the exact strength and cost of the clerical and menial staffs of the new Calcutta and Faizabad depôts. One important reduction was effected last year in anticipation of the amalgamation by the discharge of two of the four Travelling Medical Inspectors previously employed by the two Agencies: the two remaining Inspectors now visit the sub-depôts of both Agencies impartially, and are paid by them jointly, a very material economy being thereby effected in travelling expenses as well as salaries.
It is hoped, of course, that an appreciable reduction in the rates of recruiting commission will result from the establishment of the Faizabad depôt, when recruiters will be relieved of the risk of their coolies being rejected at Calcutta and returned to their homes at their (the recruiters') expense: the reduced risk will naturally carry with it a corresponding reduction of fees. however, there will be the cost of maintaining the new depôt and its establishment. As a set-off against this, Economies may also be expected in such matters as depôt surgeon's fees at Calcutta, one surgeon being retained in future instead of two; common indents for the two Calcutta depôts for depôt contingencies, medicines, stationery, ship's store, &c., &c. elimination to some extent of the fees hitherto paid to civil surgeons up country, and in respect of numerous petty miscellaneous items.
18. Mr. Marsden is arranging to go to Faizabad for a preliminary visit on the 6th instant.
We have, &c.,
R. P. GIBBES,
Government Emigration Agent for British Guiana. A. MARSDEN,
Government Emigration Agent for Trinidad,
Fiji, Jamaica, and Mauritius.
(ANNEXURE A.)
Memorandum BY MR. MARSDEN,
The main points on which Mr. Gibbes and myself are not in agreement are: the position and standing of the officer appointed up country when amalgamation is effected, and further, the status and dependency of the officer appointed for the carrying on of the Madras Agency, and I now beg to submit my views on each of these points.
2. Emigration Officer up country-The work of the Colonial Agents in the past has been handicapped considerably by the attitude which has been displayed towards it by many of the up country Indian officials and clerks, whose duties have brought them into contact with emigration, although here and there marked excep- tions have existed. The higher Indian officials know that the collection and despatch of indentured labourers to the Colonies are supervised by Colonial officials, but because Colonial emigration is unpopular they have been reluctant to show any recognition of this fact, and the lower grades take their cue from them.
In past years emigration agents have been numerous, and, except that a Colonial Agent is gazetted, no distinction has been made between the "man in the street who has obtained the sanction of some local authority to collect emigrants for adjacent districts and countries for his own personal profit and Colonial officials who have been transferred to India on fixed salaries to carry out Imperial work.
In my inspections up country I have frequently come in contact with Magis- trates who did not know that Colonial Agents were appointed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, or that our work was conducted as a public department, and the same ignorance has prevailed amongst the native magistrates and those clerks who are entrusted with the registration of emigrants. Attempts made in the past by native registrars to dissuade intending emigrants from going abroad would not have been resorted to had they been aware that by so doing they were obstructing the work of a Public Department.
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In past years Colonial Emigration Agents did not experience the continuous difficulty in obtaining emigrants with which we are now faced, and therefore let pass the attitude of the Indian officials towards them, but the rates which we are now called upon to pay for recruiting makes it necessary to examine the position closely, and ascertain exactly what influences are at work which militate against Colonial emigration. So long as the Agent is looked upon as working for himself, junior officials and the police will think they can play tricks
a man in the street with impunity, and little is gained in bringing forward complaints.
I enclose an extract from the Calcutta Gazette showing the present mode of gazetting the Agents, in which there is nothing to show that we are Colonial officials, or, in fact, in any way different from the Surinam Agent, who is a merchant in town. I do not desire any special treatment or "benevolent attitude" towards our work, but simply that the Agents be recognised in the country as public servants carrying out colonial duties, and this can be effected by being properly gazetted, when junior officials will recognise that stumbling blocks cannot be unnecessarily placed in our
way.
In my last interview with Mr. Harris, at the Colonial Office, I drew attention to these facts, and, in consequence of a private letter which Mr. Macnaghten subse- quently wrote to Mr. Seton, of the India Office, I have within the last few days heard from the Protector of Emigrants that the matter is receiving attention, and he hopes the desired change will be effected. When such recognition comes about more will be gained by a senior and experienced officer residing up country visiting the principal districts to see that the work is being properly carried out, and making the personal acquaintance of the Indian officials, than by an inexperienced junior in the same capacity; and this is more particularly the case now that the India Government have asked if some other method of recruiting cannot be introduced.
The up-country depôt at Benares or Faizabad, as Mr. Gibbes states in his letter of 9th January, may not exceed 150-200 coolies at any one time, as it is an experiment of which we cannot at present fully see the issue, but it was not my intention, when asked my opinion on amalgamation in July last year, to suggest that the up-country officer's sphere of influence should be confined to the district wherein he resided. That it should extend throughout the United Provinces and elsewhere up country from where emigrants are recruited is, I consider, essential.
As Mr. Gibbes very properly points out, a dual control may at times be beset with difficulties as to whose views should prevail when differences of opinion arise. In the event of such differences arising, those matters which more immediately affect Calcutta would be decided by the Calcutta Agent, and those of an up-country nature by the up-country Agent.
But that attempts will be made to play off one master against another is undoubted, and without the exercise of mutual forbearance with one another's views it will be impossible for the work to proceed harmoniously.
There are quite enough enemies of emigration outside our ranks without our having dissensions within.
3. As regards the position of the Madras Agent, some doubt seems to exist as to whether the Madras Government will not require that the Emigration Agent there should be free from any central control in Calcutta, owing to Madras being a separate Presidency, and having a separate Protector of Emigrants, and on this point we have addressed the Government of India for an opinion.
Mr. Gibbes holds very optimistic views about the future of Madras as a recruit- ing centre, but these I do not share, nor do I consider any marked improvement can take place for some considerable time to come. If Calcutta suffers in diminution
of supplies from up country the same influences will be at work in the Madras Presidency. I agree with him in thinking that the present Agent should be changed and the Agency conducted on lines more closely resembling Calcutta, but were I to be transferred as Agent to Madras I could not help but feel that I was taking a retrograde step after having been Agent in Calcutta for five years for Trinidad, Jamaica, and Fiji, nor would I feel competent to fill the position, owing to my ignor- ance of Tamil, the prevailing native language in Madras, and through Hindustani being of very little use there.
A. MARSDEN,
Calcutta,
1st April, 1913
Government Emigration Agent for Trinidad,
Fiji, Jamaica, and Mauritius.