PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TLC.O.8
885
21 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
35169
SIR,
250
No. 151.
THE GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION AGENT AT CALCUTTA FOR TRINIDAD, &c., to COLONIAL OFFICE.
(Received 11 October, 1913.)
Trinidad Government Emigration Agency,
21, Garden Reach, Calcutta, September 25th, 1913.
I HAVE the honour to confirm my telegram of the 23rd instant*, informing you that the Indian Government has selected Benares as the town for the establishment of the up-country Central Emigration Agency.
2.
We have not yet received a reply to the communication which Mr. Gibbes and myself addressed to the Government of India last March on this subject, but I took the opportunity of calling on Mr. Clark, the member of the Department for Commerce and Industry (under which emigration comes), when he visited Calcutta at the end of August, and explained to him our desire to effect amalgamation changes with as little delay as possible, and then learnt from him that the place for the up-country agency would be Benares. He has since confirmed this by a telegram, the contents of which I have communicated to you as above.
3. We (Mr. Gibbes and myself) have been very greatly inconvenienced by Messrs. Nourse's delay of the 27th August steamer by six weeks, and I do not like to leave Calcutta with the 600 coolies now awaiting shipment in their present restless state at the Trinidad Agency, when escapes and claims for release from indentures are of almost daily occurrence, but I hope that the steamer may not be detained later than the 9th October, and after her despatch I will proceed to Benares to ascertain all available information for our new establishment there.
33014
I have, &c.,
A. MARSDEN, Government Emigration Agent for
Trinidad, Fiji, Jamaica, &c.
No. 152.
COLONIAL OFFICE to INDIA OFFICE. [Answered by No. 169.]
SIR,
Downing Street, 22 October, 1913. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 8th of August last,† I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, for the consideration of the Marquess of Crewe, the accompanying copy of a lettert which has been received from the Emigration Agent for Trinidad, &c., at Calcutta, in which he gives his views and those of the Emigration Agent for British Guiana regarding the prelimi- nary suggestions put forward by the Indian Commissioners as to Indian emigration to Trinidad.
2: It appears to Mr. Harcourt to be doubtful whether any further action in this matter can usefully be taken pending the receipt of the Commissioners' final report; and in transmitting Mr. Marsden's letter for Lord Crewe's information he desires that His Lordship's attention should be called to the great care which is at present taken in the selection of emigrants in India, with a suggestion that, as the Indian Commissioners have not yet, apparently, had the opportunity of studying the conditions in the recruiting districts in India or the arrangements at the depôt, they should be instructed to do so, and also to discuss fully with the Emigration Agents at Calcutta all matters connected with recruiting in India, before they submit their report to the Indian Government.
3. Mr. Harcourt notes from Mr. Marsden's letter that it will be necessary to obtain the consent of the Government of India to an amendment of the Indian Emigration Law before it is possible to carry out the recommendation of the Com- missioners that time-expired emigrants should be sent to India to act as recruiters.
I am, &c.,
H. J. READ, for the Under-Secretary of State.
33498
SIR,
251
No. 153.
COLONIAL OFFICE to INDIA OFFICE.
[Answered by No. 174.]
Downing Street, 23rd October, 1913. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 8th of August last,* I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you, for the consideration of the Marquess of Crewe, the accompanying copy of a lettert which has been received from the Emigration Agent for British Guiana at Calcutta, relative to the suggestions of the Indian Emigration Commissioners and the Governor of Trinidad with regard to the treatment of intending emigrants from India who may be found to be suffering from ankylostome infection.
2.
I am to point out that the Commissioners, whose recommendations to the Government of Trinidad may be regarded as informal, appear to have been unaware when they were discussing matters connected with immigration with the authorities in that Colony that the question of the possibility of treating ankylostome infection either in India or on the voyage to the Colonies-has been fully considered by the Government of India, who have decided that neither of these courses is practicable.
3. In view, therefore, of the difficulties which the responsible authorities in India foresee in the treatment of emigrants, whether in dépôt or on board ship, Mr. Harcourt, as at present advised, considers that any proposals involving either of these alternatives should be definitely negatived, and that the end in view will be more readily attained if the examination and treatment of coolies are carried out on their arrival in the Colony-it being, of course, understood that any coolies who are obviously suffering from ankylostomiasis in an acute form will be rejected by the recruiting authorities in India.
4. Subject to Lord Crewe's concurrence, Mr. Harcourt would propose to com- municate in this sense with the Governors of the Colonies which recruit indentured labourers from India, and with the Emigration Agents at Calcutta, and he would suggest that Mr. McNeill and Mr. Chimmanlal should also be apprised of this decision, and of the reasons which have led to it.
5. So far as Mr. Harcourt is aware, the Government of India has no experience of treatment of the natives of India for this disease which would afford the Colonial Governments any assistance in dealing with a difficult problem. If at any time any effort should be made in India to treat the classes from which immigrants are drawn, Mr. Harcourt would be much obliged if Lord Crewe would obtain particulars of the measures adopted, in order that they may be communicated to the Colonial authorities for their guidance
I am, &c.,
37480
No. 154.
TRINIDAD
H. J. READ,
for the Under-Secretary of State.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 29 October, 1913.)
(Confidential.)
[Copy to Ludia Office, 18 November, 1913. L.F.] [Answered by No 167.]
Government House, 6th October, 1913.
SIR,
REFERRING to the last paragraph of your Confidential despatch of the 8th of August last, instructing me further to consider the question of the suggested-lease of Crown lands, I have the honour to forward, herewith, a copy of a report in the matter by the Sub-Intendant of Crown lands.
• No. 136.
† No. 148.
‡ No. 133.
No. 147.
† No. 136.
↑ No. 144.