12777
80
No. 69.
MR. CHAMBERLAIN to GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE.
(No. 81.)
Downing Street, April 9, 1903. SIR,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches, No. 78, of the 5th, and Nos. 85 and 87 of the 7th ultimo,* on the subject of the advances which have been made to planters under the provisions of the Mechanical Transport and the Sugar Estates (Advances-in-aid) Ordinances of 1902.
2. I gladly take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the care, tact, and judgment which you have exhibited in dealing with this matter.
81
Enclosure 2 in No. 70.
STATEMENT showing the number of Horses, Ponies, Mules, and Donkeys declared in 1902, the number that have died since, and the loss which will fall on the Treasury.
Declared in 1902.
Since Died.
Remaining.
Districts.
Hornes and Ponies.
Horses
Mules. Donkeys. and
Horsen Mules. Donkeys and
Mules. Donkeys.
Ponies.
Ponies.
13814
(No. 94.)
No. 70.
I have, &c.,
J. CHAMBERLAIN.
GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN. (Received April 15, 1903.)
S.R,
Government House, Mauritius, March 14, 1903. WITH reference to the final paragraph of my despatch, No. 79, of the 6th instant, relative to statistics of the mortality caused by Surra, I have the honour to transmit a statement showing in fuller detail the mortality on sugar estates. This statement indicates the number of animals on the estates on January 1st, 1902; the number bought during that year; the number that died of Surra; and the number remaining on 31st January last. I regret to have to add that there is a serious and constant mortality among the animals purchased, at great cost, to replace those that have died.
2. I annex, at the same time, a statement prepared by the Receiver-General, showing the mortality, outside of estates, and the number remaining, so far as can be gathered from reports by the Revenue Inspectors.
3. This statement shows how far the consequences of the disease are likely to affect the public revenue of the Colony.
Enclosure 1 in No. 70.
I have, &c.,
CHAS. BRUCE,
Governor.
RETURN showing the number of Deaths from Surrah among Cattle among Sugar Estates from 14 January to 31st January, 1903, including deaths among new animals bought during that period,
Number of Cattle on the
Estate on 1st January, 1902.
Horses.
Ponies.
Mules.
Number that Died of Surrah
Number Bought in 1902,
Oxen.
Donkeys.
Horses.
Ponies.
Males.
*Uǝx()})
since 1st January, 1902,
Donkeys.
Horses.
Ponies.
Mules.
Oxen.
Donkeys.
Погов
Number Romaining
on Sist January, 1903.
Ponies.
Mules.
Oxon.
Donkeys,
•Pamplemousses
202
425
Riv. du Rempart
50 227
Flacq
103
650 33
Moka
101
296 26
Grand Port ...
97 458 37
49
265 27
ལྷ ལཎྜབོ་ཆ
58
339 .39
144
86
48
22
18
195 13
32
32
9
58
593 17
45
37
16
32
214 13
69
82
51
402 26
46
56
==
13
11
31
242 26
15
23
1
i
533
ཊྛོཔྱུཉྩ་
GO 135
78
ය
6
462
28 101
1,092 2,955 365 392 2,475 176
700 480 189
4€1 28 327
72
32
86
29 14
22
72
3 8
Savanne
Plaines Wilhems
Black River...
Total
101
Add: For Port Louis. Taxes for which go to the Municipality.
381 524 38 176
182 19 205 312
19
Total Deaths
***
...
3,420
Of the 3,420 animals that have died, taxes were paid to Government on 3,043; the loss is, therefore, as under :-
Horses and ponies-392 at Rs. 6.75 Mules 2,475 at Rs. 4.50 Donkeys-176 at Rs. 3.50
Total
+
Rs. 2,646.00 Rs. 11,137.50
Rs. 616.00
Rs. 14,399.50
If 3,043 animals have died, it is natural to suppose that about 2,500 carriages and carts will not be used until the owners can procure other beasts of burden, and this will bring about a further loss, for carriages of four wheels pay Rs. 22 per annum, and those of two wheels Rs. 13.50. It is impossible to estimate the loss that this will entail. Many Indians who were carriers last year will not renew their licenses this year, which means a further loss of Rs. 5 for each cart.
Another loss will be the 10 per ent. levied on direct taxes for branch roads, under Ordinance No. 9 of 1900.
I think it my duty to draw your attention to the vote for repairs to roads. This item will have to be increased by at least 50 per cent., as the automobiles and their heavy waggons will soon cut up the roads of the Colony.
J. J. BROWN,
Receiver-General.
319 93 3,702 6,169 64
March 14, 1903.
March 4, 1903.
24h 45
101 4,980
7
211
383,181 7,065
62
409
។
95
3114,474
41
14120
No. 71.
GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN. (Received April 18, 1903.)
Government House, Mauritius, March 20, 1903.
In my despatch, No. 95, of the 14th instant,* informing you of the measures
GRAHAM BOWER,
Colonial Secretary.
(No. 103.)
SIR,
• Nos. 65, 67, and 68.
↑ No. 66.
19234
13815: not printed.
L
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
8 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TOPage 151
82
adopted to deal with the disease of Surra, I omitted to call your attention to a recom- mendation contained in the report of the Committee, to the effect that the importa- tion of all animals should be prohibited until the 15th May next.
2. The proposal was only carried in the Committee by a majority of one, the Chairman voting in the minority, and the Committee seem to have been unanimous in advising that it would be unwise to believe that the measures they recommend would result in the total disappearance of the disease.
3. The members of the Executive Council were nearly unanimous in opposing the proposal to prohibit the importation of healthy animals until the 15th May, and in their opinion I entirely concurred.
4. It seems hardly necessary for me to point out the obvious objections to such an unprecedented measure. It might perhaps have been justified had there been any well-grounded reason to hope that the disease might be stamped out before the 15th May, but the Committee prudently guarded themselves against the chance of their being accredited with any such hope.
93
COLONIAL SECRETARY to MANAGER, Bank of Mauritius.
(No. 2262/1903.)
SIR,
March 7, 1903. I AM directed by the Governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th instant, enquiring whether a planter will be required to produce the manufacturer's invoice when applying for payment under the Mechanical Traction Ordinance, or whether the invoice will be sufficient in the event of a planter contracting with "Les Forges et Fonderies de Maurice" for an engine or a tramway.
In reply, I am to inform you that the Forges et Fonderies can, under the Ordin- ance, only be looked upon as agents of the applicant, and that, therefore, the manu- facturer's invoice will be required under Article 13 (A) and (B) of the Ordinance.
It must be understood, also, that this applies to receipted accounts sent in by applicants in support of the amounts asked for tramways already paid for.
16117
I have, &c.,
CHAS. BRUCE,
Governor.
I have, &c.,
GRAHAM BOWER,
Colonial Secretary.
Enclosure 4 in No. 72.
(No. 121:) SIR,
No. 72.
GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received May 4, 1903.)
[Answered by No. 73.]
Government House, Mauritius, April 2, 1903.
IN continuation of my despatch, No. 79, of the 6th ultimo,* I have the honour to acquaint you that a formal letter,t a copy of which is enclosed, has been decided
on as the form of notification to applicants of approval of their application.
2. I forward also a form of the deed of contract charget on the estates.
3. I enclose also copy of a correspondence which has taken place with the Bank of Mauritius relative to the interpretation to be placed on Article 13 of the Ordinance No. 34 of 1902, an article which was carefully considered when the Ordinance was drafted and to which I attach real importance.
4. I forward a copy of the report of the financial officers, which I have approved, indicating the manner in which the payments under the Ordinance will be effected.
5. It will be noticed that the financial officers propose to effect the payments by telegraphic transfers on the Crown Agents, and I am satisfied that this arrangement will prove to be the most convenient and ceocor: cal.
SIR,
6. I shall be glad if you will communicate this despatch to the Crown Agents.
I have, &c.,
CHAS. BRUCE,
Governor.
March 6, 1903.
(No. 416.)
FINANCIAL OFFICERS to COLONIAL SecretaRY,
March 24, 1903.
We have interviewed the manager of the Bank of Mauritius, Mr. Malcolm, of the Forges & Fonderies, and Mr. Pierre Adam, and it appears that the bulk of orders for tramways are being executed through agents in England, whose drafts are negotiated by the Bank of Mauritius. These orders amount to about £145,000.
The bank pays the manufacturer's invoice duly receipted and the shipper's invoice, which includes commission, freight, and insurance, and all other customary charges connected with the ordering and shipment of the goods.
The shipper gives the bank a draft on the planter in Mauritius payable at a fixed date at the ruling rate of exchange between Mauritius and London, and 6 per cent. interest on the amount so paid until the money is remitted home.
The bank proposes that we should pay their draft by a wire transfer on the Crown Agents for the amount due to them less a reduction of 15 cents lower than the rate at which the bank collects the proceeds of the bills.
We consider this offer to be advantageous and convenient, and recommend it for adoption. Mr. Dickson, in his memoranda, enclosed, has explained how this course will operate. The planter would sign the contract charge in exchange for the docu- ments enabling him to take delivery, alongside the importing vessel, of his machinery, for the amount of the wire transfer given to the bank on the Crown Agents for the amount due by the planter, less the reduction already mentioned. The interest claimed by the bank will cease with the wire transfer (see note of Mr. Dickson).
GEORGE R. DICK,
Auditor-General. JAMES J. BROWN,
Receiver-General.
S. GRAVES,
Acting Collector.
Enclosure 3 in No. 72.
CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE BANK OF MAURITIUS.
MANAGER, Bank of Mauritius, to COLONIAL SECRETARY.
I HAVE the honour to submit the following for your opinion, and will be obliged
if you can kindly favour me with a reply this afternoon.
In the event of a planter contracting with Les Forges & Fonderies de Maurice for an engine or a tramway under the Mechanical Traction Ordinance, will it be necessary for the planter to produce the manufacturer's invoice to Government on applying for payment, or will the invoice of Les Forges & Fonderies be sufficient?
I may mention that, in some cases, the estimate of Les Forges & Fonderies is attached to the application for the loan.
• No. 66.
I have, &c.,
GEO. DICKSON,
Not reprinted.
Manager.
DEAR MR. BROWN,
Bank of Mauritius, Limited, Port Louis, March 10, 1903.
I HAVE received a reply from London with reference to the acceptance by the bank of wire bills on the Crown Agents in payment of bills which we have purchased in London against machinery under the Mechanical Transport Ordinance. We are authorised to accept same at a difference of 15 cents lower than the rate at which we collect the bills. I have been informed by His Excellency that only the amount of the manufacturer's invoice plus freight and insurance will be paid by the Govern- ment, the amount of commission, interest and other charges will be collected from the drawee; we will see to this.
Yours truly,
GEO. DICKSON.