16958/24.
CORRESPONDENCE [1924-1928]
RELATING TO THE
Constitution of Mauritius.
No. 1.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Received 8th April, 1924.)
235
SIR,
(Confidential.)
[Answered by No. 2.]
Government House, Port Louis, 28th February, 1924. For some months past a movement has been in progress in this Colony with the object of bringing about a revision of the existing Constitution of the Government. This movement has, so far, not gained much importance, and is still in a more or less nebulous condition. But as it appears to be a question which is likely to occupy public attention to an increasing degree, I think it advisable to place you au courant of the situation so far as it stands at present.
T
2. According to the classification shown on p. 767 of the Colonial Office List for 1923, Mauritius is a Colony possessing a partly elected Legislative Council the constitution of which provides for an official majority." The Letters Patent of 11th September, 1913, provide for a Legislature composed of & Ex-officio Members, 10 Elected Members, and 9 Nominated Members. Of the Nominated Members, not less than three shall be persons not holding any public office.
3. Under this arrangement, provided that not less than six of the Nominated Members be officials, the Government could always count on a majority of votes. But such has never been the case. The Government has never fully exercised its rights of appointing Official nominees, and ever since the grant of the existing constitution in 1886, there has always been a majority of Unofficial Members.
4. So far as I have been able to ascertain the attitude of the Unofficial nominees has, ever since the creation of the Council, been generally in accordance with the broad principles laid down in the despatch of the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos of 17th August, 1868. Most of them, having been specially selected by the Crown, appear to have considered themselves morally bound to give a more or less constant support to the Government, and the Government has thus always been able to command a majority in the Council. The only instance that I can find to the contrary goes back to 1894, when, on a vote concerning the Military Contribution, all the Unofficial nominees voted with the Elected Members against the mufion, and the Government was beaten.
5. Up to recently, the existing form and composition of the Council appear to have fully satisfied the views and aspirations of the great majority of the population of this island. During the eight years that I have presided over the Legislature, its pro- ceedings have, almost always, been marked by harmony and a spirit of mutual concilia- tion, and the number of instances in which it was necessary to proceed to a division have been remarkably small.
6. Although, in past years, a considerable period used to elapse between two sessions of the Council, I have found it advisable to keep the Legislature alive almost continuously, and the Recess between one session and another has seldom exceeded a few weeks. The Colony boasts of no less than eight daily newspapers, and the actions and motives of the Government are criticised with much freedom and keenness. The regular fortnightly meetings of the Councils have, on many occasions, not only acted "safety valves "to reduce the pressure of a frequently mis-directed public opinion, but have also often enabled me, by a frank explanation of the Government's intentions, to remove misapprehensions and opposition.
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7. It should be noted, however, that the interest taken in the proceedings of the Council has, in recent years, shown a remarkable reduction. Whereas, during the first 20 or 25 years following the grant of the new Constitution, reports of the debates
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CIC.O.882/11
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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